Houston McKelvey: Jesus’ disciples were also in lockdown after witnessing his death on the cross

We will certainly remember Holy Week 2020. Churches closed. Funerals disrupted. Gathering for prayer, study or choir practice cancelled. And it is all cocooned in realistic fear.
By The Newsroom
Published 10th Apr 2020, 10:21 BST
Pacemaker Press 03-10-2010: Veterans and the families of those who served in the Burma campaigns of World War II will attend a service in St Anne's Cathedral, Belfast.During the service the Standard of the Belfast Branch of the Burma Star Association will be received by the Dean, Very Rev Dr Houston McKelvey and laid up for safekeeping by Jimmy Tweedie . Picture By: Arthur Allison.Pacemaker Press 03-10-2010: Veterans and the families of those who served in the Burma campaigns of World War II will attend a service in St Anne's Cathedral, Belfast.During the service the Standard of the Belfast Branch of the Burma Star Association will be received by the Dean, Very Rev Dr Houston McKelvey and laid up for safekeeping by Jimmy Tweedie . Picture By: Arthur Allison.
Pacemaker Press 03-10-2010: Veterans and the families of those who served in the Burma campaigns of World War II will attend a service in St Anne's Cathedral, Belfast.During the service the Standard of the Belfast Branch of the Burma Star Association will be received by the Dean, Very Rev Dr Houston McKelvey and laid up for safekeeping by Jimmy Tweedie . Picture By: Arthur Allison.

Churches, clergy and other leaders have responded. Daily prayers and worship have been offered through various forms of social communication. Indeed I was almost over-faced for choice.

We all come to Holy Week with our own templates and spiritual heritage. My faith and vocation was nurtured in a small rural parish. Holy Week services were a key element in my Christian growth.

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Lent for my parish began with ‘A Penitential Service’ and throughout Lent at mid-week services and during Holy Week we used the second ‘Alternative Form of Evening Prayer’. Its words keep ringing through my mind as the current crisis evolved. It begins, “The Lord Almighty grant us a quiet night and a perfect end.”

The words immediately following are a stark statement from the Epistle of St Peter - “Brethren, be sober, be vigilant; because your adversary the Devil walketh about, seeking whom he may devour, whom resist steadfast in the faith.”

Four excerpts from the Psalms follow which bring words of comfort and hope but in equally stark language. “Be my strong rock and house of defence, that thou mayest save me.” But there is also surety. “He shall deliver thee from the snare of the hunter...He shall defend thee under his wings and thou shalt be safe.”

On this Saturday, the eve of Easter, after the crucifixion and death of Jesus yesterday, His disciples, His most intimate followers who had witnessed the dreadful events at Calvary, were catatonic with fear. They too were in lockdown in the very room in which Christ had celebrated the first Holy Communion, breaking and blessing the symbols of his body and blood.

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These men were literally and justifiably in fear for their lives. Most of them had broken down under the stress of the previous days. One had betrayed him. Several turned away at the cross through a combination of shock and fear. Indeed they each could have been diagnosed as having post-trauma stress disorder.

Like our present society, they were overcome by the horrific events of which they had been witnesses. They had gone into lockdown. They were truly scared.

Whilst that was happening the Gospels’ views are that Christ was conquering death.

Tomorrow, throughout Christianity, Christians of widely differing faiths, will unite to witness to the most major event the world has ever witnessed. Women went to the tomb of Jesus and discovered it was empty. One had an encounter with Jesus. With her friends they went to that Upper Room and brought the good news to a group of very dispirited men.

I pray that Christ will enable us also to heal our society and our world.

Related topics:JesusChurches