Thus says the Lord,
the Redeemer of Israel and his Holy One,
to one deeply despised, abhorred by the nations,
the slave of rulers,
“Kings shall see and stand up;
princes, and they shall prostrate themselves,
because of the Lord, who is faithful,
the Holy One of Israel, who has chosen you.” - Isaiah 49:7 (NRSVUE)
This is Holy Week, as we move into the great Three Days. These upcoming days mark the center of the worship year in Christian worship. As you prepare for the worship experiences of these coming days, it may be helpful to read the introduction to these days that is found in our hymnals, Evangelical Lutheran Worship.
Every Sunday in worship the church celebrates the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus Christ. The Holy Spirit gathers us to receive again the gifts of God that come to us through Christ, the saving Word. On several key days at the center of the church year, however, worship takes a particular shape. These central days have come to be known as the Three Days, recalling Jesus’ own words to his disciples that he would be handed over to death, and that “after three days he will rise again” (Mark 10:34). The Three Days encompass the time from Maundy Thursday evening through the evening of Easter Day. In particular, the services of Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, and the Vigil of Easter unfold in a single movement, as the church each year makes the passage with Christ through death into life
Receive, too, the blessing for Good Friday from our Lutheran worship resources:
O Christ, Lamb of God,
on this day we offer you the adoration of our hearts,
for on the cross you reveal your suffering love.
May we who celebrate the triumph of the cross
receive the assurance of your victory over death
and the hope of the resurrection,
for you live and reign forever and ever.
Amen.