Trinity Writers’ Group 2020 Holy Week

 
 

 

 
 
 
          Greetings! Welcome to the Trinity Writers’ Group collection of Holy Week writings. The index of writings is listed below. Click a title to read it. These pages are best viewed from a full screen computer or ipad. If you’re viewing this page from a phone, you will have to scroll below the “Index of Writings” to view the writing. You can also download a pdf copy of these writings.
 
FROM THE MANGER TO THE CROSS
THROUGH THE EYES OF A SHEPHERD
by Pat Hall
 
          As the years passed the Baby in the manger grew to manhood. And the young shepherd boy who followed his family to that manger to see that Babe also grew. But he never forgot that experience. Now, an old man of nearly 40 years, that shepherd wants to see for himself the Man he has heard so much about, the Man called Christ, who grew from that tiny Baby he saw that strange night long ago.
 
          It was an ordinary night for the shepherds, tending their flocks, drowsing under the few small trees when they could, trying to avoid the damp, cold evening. The sudden light and noise frightened them all. What had overcome them? They couldn’t all have a nightmare at once, seeing the same images, hearing the same messages. Truly, it must be some kind of miracle; and, as faithful Jews, they felt they must do as they were told. Trusting God, they left their flocks and went to the stable, this young fellow among them, to see the newborn Baby. He looked like any other newborn for the most part, but there seemed to be a glow about Him. And His Mother, they called her Mary, was the most beautiful woman the young man had ever seen. She actually glowed with joy as she held the tiny Baby.
 
          When the shepherds returned to their sheep, they found them just as they had left them, safe and secure. God was good. He had sent them on a mission and had taken care of their sheep for them while they were away. The young man felt his faith deepen and his curiosity about that child grow. He went on with his life as a shepherd, growing into maturity himself, marrying, raising his own family and having his own flock of sheep. The years passed.
 
          Our shepherd is now an older man, his sons are tending his flocks most of the time, giving him some time to rest, visit his relatives in the city and try to accomplish a life-long dream. He wants to hear that long-ago Babe speak! He has heard many tales of the sermons he has given, the miracles he has performed, the crowds that follow him. He has taken the opportunity to visit family in Jerusalem and has heard that Jesus is coming into the city and he plans to be there to hear him.
 
          The crush of the crowd is great. The shepherd pushes forward, someone hands him a palm branch to wave and he, along with the hundreds of other excited people wave it in the air and then throw it to the ground for the donkey to walk on as it passes by, carrying Christ into the city. Little does our shepherd know what is to follow. He is pushed along with the crowd until he can escape and go to his family home, hoping to find news about when the Christ will speak to the people so he can be there. But no news comes. What can be going on?
 
          Suddenly, a neighbor bursts into the room with the news that Jesus has been taken before Pontius Pilate and is being tried and the people are calling for Him to be crucified! How can that be? Yesterday they were glorifying Him and today they want him crucified? Impossible!
 
          The shepherd hurries out to see for himself and is horrified at what has become of the crowd of people. No longer the happy, joyful throng he had seen upon his arrival. Now there was an evil feel about them, anger, fear, hate, and for what reason? No one he asked seemed to know. But everyone just went along with the crowd.
 
          The shepherd went from place to place but found little joy, only fear, anger, resentment, hate. No one knew what was happening. Then came the ruling; Jesus Christ would hang from a cross until dead! WHY? What had he done? No one knew that the shepherd could find. But Pontius Pilate was ruler and his decision was the law.
 
          Not being able to leave, the fascination, horrible though it was, kept the shepherd riveted to the area. He saw Jesus as he was stripped, beaten, forced to carry the cross. He even attempted to get to him, to help, but could not get through the crowd. He was so relieved that another man was able to give aide. The shepherd prayed that God would perform another miracle and stop this terrible deed, but God’s answer was, “No, my Son, that is not My plan.”
 
          As the story we all know played out, our shepherd was there, seeing for himself what had become of that tiny Baby and wishing he had heard his sermons for himself. He stood near the Disciples, he saw the Centurions casting lots for Jesus’ robe and wishing he could somehow have it to treasure for the rest of his life.
 
          He did not hear Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount, or any of his many other great sermons, but our Shepherd Boy did hear Jesus’ greatest sermon of all. “FORGIVE THEM, FATHER, FOR THEY KNOW NOT WHAT THEY DO.”
 
          The Shepherd stood transfixed, hardly believing that Jesus could ask God to forgive those who were causing Him such pain. And the pain in his own heart grew. He felt he must do something to show his Love for this man! He tried to press his way to where the women crowded around Mary, the Mother of Jesus. He wanted to let her know about being there when Jesus was just a baby and how he had tried to find Him these years, to hear His message, and how he mourned with her the loss of her Son. But the crowds would not part to let him through. They shoved him back, nearly knocking him to the ground, so he found his way to shelter at a nearby cluster of bushes and watched. When the sky went dark and the ground shuddered, he thought the world would end, that with Jesus’ death, all would die as well. He was ready. Perhaps, at last, he would be with Jesus and hear Him speak.
 
          In a few moments the phenomenon was over, the earth stilled and the skies cleared. People came running by, crying of how the curtains in the Temple were torn and revealed the Holy of Holies, and other strange happenings at the moment of Christ’s death. There was just too much for this poor shepherd to take in. He sat and watched.
 
          Later in the afternoon he saw a man, who appeared to be of means, approach the Cross and prepare to take down Jesus’ body. Oh, how he wanted to go assist, but he felt he was not worthy to even approach the foot of the Cross, much less touch the body of Christ. So he sat and watched as Joseph of Arimathea took possession of Jesus’ body when it was taken down from the Cross. He arose from his perch and followed the procession, anxious to see where they were taking Him for burial.
 
          The women followed, carrying cloths and spices to prepare the body; but, when they reached the Tomb, it was too late in the day for them to proceed with the ritual. Joseph wrapped Jesus’ body with fine linen, placed him in the Tomb and with the help of several men, including our shepherd, rolled the giant stone across the opening. Oh, how the Shepherd wanted to ask to go in and touch The Body, but did not dare. But he did one thing to serve Him, and then stepped back into the crowd.
 
          On the third day, the shepherd decided it was time for him to return to his home. He would never hear Jesus speak, nor have a chance to see Him perform a miracle, nor be able to visit his Mother to tell her how he was there at both His birth and His death. But he would remember, and he would spread the word about this Man, and his messages and His miracles.
 
          As our shepherd left Jerusalem, he considered heading to Emmaus, to visit his daughter and her family. When he reached the fork in the road, he changed his mind and decided to go directly home – he had been away far too long. Little did he know that, had he chosen the road less traveled, he would have encountered the Resurrected Jesus and the Apostles and been there when Christ ascended into Heaven.