Tri-City area Christians observe Holy Week tradition

Today, Good Friday marks a solemn day in the lives of Christians as they remember the crucifixion of Jesus Christ. Many Holy Week activities have begun in the Tri-City area to commemorate Holy Thursday, Good Friday and Easter.

In the 21st century, on Holy Thursday, the custom of the washing of the feet is still being practiced as it once was centuries ago.

“It’s a beautiful custom,” said the Rev. Douglas Courville, pastor of St. Stephen Catholic Church in Berwick. “But authority in the church is meant to be of service.

“It’s easy to get caught up in the trapping of office, get distracted by the things that delight the eye.”

The washing of feet signifies a position of humility.

“The washing of someone’s feet isn’t so bad,” said Berwick’s Mason United Methodist Church pastor, the Rev. Harold Spain. “Because when you look at the facts, Jesus Christ, being God himself, knelt down before the people and washed their feet. Mainly, he was showing his disciples this is a humble position for God’s people.

“When we learn how to humble ourselves before God, he blesses us tremendously.”

“The washing of the feet is a reminder that Christ Jesus, who is Almighty God, did something that the lowest servant did to wash the feet of others,” Courville said.

“It’s a call for all of us, especially priests, to be of real service, a service of compassion, mercy and understanding.”

Historically, Holy Thursday commemorates Christ’s Last Supper with his disciples, when Jesus instituted the sacrament of Holy Communion. On the night of the Last Supper, Jesus was betrayed by his disciple Judas.

The following Friday morning, Jesus was arrested, condemned for blasphemy, and sentenced to be crucified.

Before his death and walk to the crucifixion site, Jesus was flogged. It was customary practice to weaken victims by flogging before one was crucified.

The method was used by Romans and for the worst criminals.

“Mankind should be showing at least an attitude of gratitude, grateful that God took time out to do for us on the cross at Calvary,” Spain said.

“God came down from heaven in the form of man, walked shoulder to shoulder with his people, to show us how to live, carry ourselves and how to humble ourselves even in the eyes of our enemies.

“That’s what Good Friday is all about. It’s about knowing how to love even in the midst of hatred. And that was a blessed day for mankind.”

Easter Sunday is the day Christians celebrate the resurrection of Jesus Christ from death. It marks the last day of Holy Week. It is also the last day of Lent.

“We will begin 50 days of Easter celebration,” Courville said.

It ends on Pentecost Sunday, which is 10 days longer than Lent to remind us of the importance of the resurrection.

“Or as Mother Theresa wrote, ‘May nothing so sadden or disturb you that you forget the joy of the resurrection.’”

For Christians, “we should give (God) the best of our lives because he gave us the best heaven had to offer,” Spain said.

“And because of that he’s calling us as people to stand bold, to stand for what’s right and in standing for what’s right, which means that when Jesus Christ shed his blood on the cross at Calvary, it was shed just for us.”

“So I see that as a reason to perform the rituals that he did in the days he was with the disciples offering communion plus the washing of the feet,” Spain said.