Monday, March 21, 2005

Gospel women during Holy Week

Back to everyday things, now. El Jefe and I missed Palm Sunday worship in order to get younger daughter to the airport so she could fly back to college after her spring break. I was sorry to miss Palm Sunday because now I feel a bit unconnected to Holy Week. It doesn't seem the same without seeing all the children process into the sanctuary with their palms singing "Hosanna in the Highest".

Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday of Holy Week don't have special names that I know of. Were Martha, Mary, the Virgin Mary, Mary Magdalene, and "the other Mary" busy on those days in Jerusalem with everyday tasks preparing for Passover? Washing the special linen to be used for guests, kneading and baking bread, shopping for wine and special foods for the feast?

They aren't mentioned in the Gospel accounts of Maunday Thursday--but they were at the cross on Friday and at the grave on Sunday morning. So they had to be around. Were they engaged in the same kinds of tasks that I and my 21st century friends are as we prepare our own households for the Sunday Easter dinner?

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