This post will grow from Palm Sunday to Easter, as I add some music for each day of Holy Week, plus links to passages in the New Testament Gospels about each day (except Wednesday).
Music for Holy Week
Palm Sunday
I remember visiting Old Jerusalem, walking through its gates, viewing it from the Mount of Olives. My time there wasn’t quite the same as the New Testamant describes, but for me it was a remarkable day.
Here Stanford Olsen, an acclaimed veteran of the Metropolitan Opera, sings “The Holy City” with the Tabernacle Choir at Temple Square. I remember singing this splendid anthem as a teenager in a much smaller choir. I recall hearing my father-in-law sing it too.
If you want to read some scripture about Palm Sunday, here are some links:
Holy Monday
For Holy Monday, “O God Beyond All Praising,” by The Georgia Boy Choir Festival Choir.
This hymn is more about the week than the day. There are probably some hymns out there about the barren fig tree and the second cleaning of the temple, but I’d rather enjoy this one.
Michael Perry’s lyrics are copyrighted, so read them here. This arrangement moves some things around and omits a few lines—but now you know that, so you can avoid confusion.
The Gospel readings for Holy Monday are:
Holy Tuesday
Tuesday’s selection looks forward to some of Thursday’s most beautiful teachings, which only John recorded. (Gethsemane will draw my attention on Thursday.) Here is the King James Version of the text:
“Let not your heart be troubled: ye believe in God, believe also in me.
“In my Father’s are many mansions: if it were not so, I would have told you. I go to prepare a place for you.
“And if I go I will prepare a place for you, and come again, and receive you unto myself; that where I am, there ye may be also.
“And whither I go ye know, and the way ye know. . . .
“Let not you heart be troubled, neither let it be afraid.
“And whither I go ye know, and the way ye know. . . .
“I am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but my me.
“If he had known me, ye should have known my Father also. . . .
“The Comforter, which is the Holy Ghost, whom the Father will send in my name, he shall teach you all things, and bring all things to your remembrance, whatsoever I have said unto you.
“Peace I leave with you, my peace I give unto you: not as the world giveth, give I unto you. Let not your heart be troubed, neither let it be afraid.
Ye have heard how I said unto you, I go away, and come again unto you.” (John 14:1-7, 26-28)
Today’s selection uses a different translation; hence the text is “In my Father’s house are many dwellings.” Here is “My Father’s House” by a choir at Martin Luther College in Wisconsin.
Gospel readings from Holy Tuesday are extensive, but there are none from Holy Wednesday. You may as well save half for tomorrow.
- Matthew 21:20-46
- Matthew 22
- Matthew 23
- Matthew 24
- Mark 11:20-33
- Mark 12
- Mark 13
- Mark 14:1-2, 28
- Luke 20
- Luke 21
- Luke 22:1-6
- John 12:20-43
There are treasures aplenty here, including a sermon on faith, prayer, and forgiveness; some parables; rendering unto Caesar that which bears his image, and to God that which bears his; the two great commandments; the widow’s mite; and more. I suppose I might have found some music for some of it, but I didn’t. There’s nothing stopping you, of course.
Holy Wednesday
. . . is tomorrow already. More to come.
My Thoughts from Easters Past
I write on Easter and related themes occasionally, so there’s an Easter category page here at the blog, if you’re into more reading this week: David Rodeback on Easter.
I’ll add something here too, later in the week.
