It is hard to believe that Holy Week is here. We waited so long and are encountering the darkest season of our faith. Within a few short hours, the world would see the crucifixion of the one who came to set them free. Unfortunately, only a few people realized that this act of cruelty and utter hatred was not the final chapter in the life of the Messiah. Their anger prevented them from seeing true love in its darkest hour.

     As I trace the steps of Jesus this week, I know that most of my footprints must go through the darkest part of myself. I mean the crevices that call my spirit back into hiding by reminding me of the names the world gave to me. I lament over the sorrow of the child within me who remembers the horrors I walked through. In the darkness, I make out images of myself in the deepest crevices of the dark. I see this poor little boy eagerly awaiting freedom from the past.

     The joy about Holy Week is that we know that ultimate love makes its presence known after our walk through the blackness. The rooms, the roads, and the caverns fill up with the light of Christ. Our mourning turned into daylight. The child finds freedom as he hears the Messiah say, “Come, follow me. I found you in the darkness to bring you to the light.”

     Hope covers my soul as I take in the words of Jesus. The luminescent joy of Easter surrounds us, reminding us of hope for a new day. Jesus the Messiah allows us to encounter Jesus the Savior. Praise be to God, our joy is now made whole. The darkness surrendered to the dawn of a new age. Hope, not despair, becomes our guide as gratitude overwhelms us.

     Make this week a Holy Week. I promise Easter shines brighter when we experience the trip through the darkness. We must take the first steps to embrace the light. Grace, the gift, sits in the middle of the room, hoping we take it in our hands and use the free gift the Divine offers.