Holy Week 2020 on the calendar in America is the peak of the Covid-19 Pandemic. Everyone, from the richest and most powerful to the disregarded and poorest, have been impacted in unforeseen ways. It’s hard to wrap your mind around the ever-changing information and recommendations regarding this exponentially spreading disease. When we first began our Lenten fasts on Ash Wednesday, we had no idea that churches would be unwise to meet on Easter Sunday.

I can’t think of a better time for the message of Easter to be received. Every day of Holy Week features relevant experiences to our present world chaos.  

1. Crowds gathering and requested to be dispersed by religious leaders.

2. Economic upheaval at the Temple.

3. Tax matters an urgent concern.

4. End Times Prophecy a focus of believers.

5. Religious leaders without true answers for sinners like Judas.

6. Unexpected death of loved ones.

7.  Death from inability to breathe (on the cross)

Times like these are no challenge for Jesus. Look at how He spoke about His chaotic Holy Week.  

He told the disciples for; the third time exactly how crazy Holy Week would be.  In Mark 10:32-34 it is recorded: “They were on their way up to Jerusalem, with Jesus leading the way, and the disciples were astonished, while those who followed were afraid. Again he took the Twelve aside and told them what was going to happen to him. ‘We are going up to Jerusalem,’ he said, ‘and the Son of Man will be delivered over to the chief priests and the teachers of the law. They will condemn him to death and will hand him over to the Gentiles, who will mock him and spit on him, flog him and kill him. Three days later he will rise’.”

This Holy Week, we have no idea what will happen in our nation. Jesus knew and told the disciples exactly what would happen. He detailed the horrific things that would happen in Jerusalem.  He told them that once they got to Jerusalem, He would be betrayed and delivered to the religious Jews and would be condemned to death and be handed over to the Gentiles who would not just mock Him but specifically spit on Him.  They would flog Him and kill Him, but three days later He will rise again.  You can’t get more specific than that.

American Covid-19 models tell us that Holy Week will be the worst of death and disease we will see in our nation. The rise is predicted. We are bracing ourselves for bad news. We are praying and asking our Lord, the lover of mankind, for His mercy, grace and healing.  

We will see how our prayers are answered. We not only need healing from the Pandemic that is ravishing our country, but we need to proclaim the message of Easter, that Jesus’ kingdom is not for this world only. Jesus will reign over the earth eternally in peace and joy after His second coming. In the meantime, the purpose of our lives is to share the truth of our great salvation to as many as will receive it. Easter Sunday’s message is the truest hope in the middle of Covid-19 Pandemic.