Easter with a flourish in Guatemala

We don’t really seem to pay much attention to Easter in America. I like the attention they pay to it in Guatemala. Here’s a report from Sarah Dager, one of our World Racers in Guatemala right now.

Sarah reports:

Holy Week (a Catholic holiday) has been an amazing experience. If you don’t know what Holy Week is, please read the previous blog.

We woke up this morning (Good Friday) at 4 am to head into town for the early morning processional.

We had no idea what we were in for. We followed the crowd, through the darkness into the large, soft yellow church adorned with beautiful white carvings. From every corner candles cast a glow over the proceedings. A band played somber music as men in dark purple robes and white headdresses slowly marched under the weight of an enormous float carrying fresh flowers and on which there was a statue of Jesus carrying the cross.

The only word I can use for this experience is reverent as tears blurred my vision, people spoke in hushed tones and slowly the processional moved out of the church following Jesus. So many thoughts rolled through my mind the biggest being how sorry I was for nailing Jesus to the cross, how thankful I am for Him and how much I love Him. Other things hit me though, like how come we’ve only got Easter and Christmas, just two days to celebrate the Messiah? Holy Week, 7 days long in which everyone participates is a huge ordeal. Sunday morning you awaken to cannons going off announcing the start of Holy Week. Out on the streets there is a flurry of activity as people start decorating the roads in huge murals only to be trampled on by yet another processional carrying Jesus and Mary. All through the night before Good Friday families stay up decorating the streets outside their homes and businesses. Decorating involves pain-staking work in which murals emerge on the streets made of fresh flowers, colored sawdust and sand in vibrant colors depicting Christ on the cross, religious symbols and all kinds of intricate designs.

Out on the street Roman soldiers complete with silver helmets, shields and spears ride solemnly by making sure to go around the many murals lining the center of each street because today is an extra special day, the day Jesus was crucified. Pontius Pilate rode by in his chariot, as did many young men carrying signs that decreed Christ was to be crucified. Hundreds of men and boys dressed in purple robes filed past many swinging golden lanterns burning with incense.

Finally the Jesus float descends on us. The best murals are lining the streets today and are saved for the people carrying Jesus to walk on. It is a sight like no other I’ve seen before.

Five hundred thousand people pour into Antigua to be a part of this week. They celebrate the death of Jesus and His resurrection and yet they don’t fully understand what Christ did for them. This week many will “pay” for their sins through different acts of service. They don’t know that Jesus died on the cross, taking on all our sin and that we can do nothing on our own to enter heaven.

When we die, when we see God, we must show Him Jesus’ blood on our hands. Jesus Christ is the only way to God. As believers, shouldn’t we be giving God more of ourselves, then those who worship Jesus during Holy Week but don’t really understand the significance of Christ’s death?

“…Jesus came and stood among them and said, ‘Peace be with you!’ Then he said to Thomas, ‘Put your finger here; see my hands. Reach out your hand and put it into my side. Stop doubting and believe.’ Thomas said, ‘My Lord and my God!’

Then Jesus told him, ‘Because you have seen me, you have believed; blessed are those who have not seen and yet have believed.’

Jesus did many other miraculous signs in the presence of his disciples, which are not recorded in this book. But these are written that you may believe that Jesus is the Christ, the Son of God, and that by believing you may have life in his name.” -John 26b-31

Christ has risen. He has RISEN indeed!