Holy Week is not merely a series of celebrations, but a journey that allows us to delve, step by step, into the key moments of Jesus’ life. From his entry into From Palm Sunday to Easter Sunday, the liturgy offers a journey that takes us through initial joy, conflict, self-sacrifice and silence, inviting us to understand the faith from within and not merely through what is seen in each celebration.
Palm Sunday opens this journey with a scene that, in itself, already contains a profound tension. Jesus is welcomed with enthusiasm, as one who is long-awaited, whilst the people acclaim him with palms and olive branches, shouting “Hosanna!”; yet that very path will lead to the Cross just a few days later. For this reason, this day is not merely a celebration, but raises a question that runs through the whole week: what does it really mean to follow Christ when the path becomes difficult?
The days that follow help us to situate ourselves within that context. They are not particularly striking days, but they are necessary, as they prepare us inwardly for what is to come. Through the Gospel readings, we see Jesus’ closeness to his disciples, the tensions arising around him, and the gradual process of decision-making that leads to his sacrifice.
As Holy Week progresses, Maundy Thursday marks a turning point, ushering in the Easter Triduum. At the Last Supper, Jesus not only shares bread and wine, but also leaves behind a way of being and living: service. The gesture of the washing of the feet breaks with any logic of power and places the focus on caring for others, whilst the Eucharist is presented as a presence that remains even when absence begins.
The following day, Good Friday, our gaze turns to the Cross, in an atmosphere of solemnity that shuns any facile explanation. It is not a matter of understanding suffering from the outside, but of accompanying it, recognising in that self-sacrifice a form of love that is not interrupted even in the face of rejection or pain. It is a day that invites us to linger, not to look away, and to acknowledge the many situations of suffering that remain present even today.
Holy Saturday prolongs that silence. The Church does not celebrate, but, guided by Mary, waits; and in that waiting lies a very human experience: that of holding fast to the faith when everything seems to have come to a standstill or even to be lost. It is a time that cannot be filled with words, for it invites us rather to remain, as our Mother did, in a trust that does not require immediate certainties.
This journey reaches its climax during the Easter Vigil and on Easter Sunday, when light breaks through the darkness and gives new meaning to everything we have experienced. The Resurrection transforms us, showing that it is not death that has the final say, but life.
Ultimately, approaching Holy Week through this itinerary reveals that these are not isolated days, but a process that challenges the very fabric of our lives. At every moment, we are invited to pause, reflect and recognise that, even in the midst of fragility, hope does not disappear, but finds new ways to make itself felt.
Happy Holy Week!