30th March - 5th April 2026
This week is traditionally referred to as ‘Holy Week’ in the Christian calendar, a time when we reflect on the journey of Jesus to the cross on Good Friday, culminating with his glorious resurrection on Easter Sunday. It truly is the most momentous of events, and all of history hinges on the historical truth of what happened that week over 2000 years ago.
No doubt we all will have our own reflections as we ponder the different happenings of Holy Week in our readings and in services we attend. But to help focus our prayers this week I thought that each day we might consider some of the characters we encounter as the story unfolds and see where they encourage or challenge us in our own lives.
Written by Stephen Cave
MONDAY
Peter
Then Jesus told them, ‘This very night you will all fall away on account of me, for it is written: ‘“I will strike the shepherd, and the sheep of the flock will be scattered.” But after I have risen, I will go ahead of you into Galilee.’ Peter replied, ‘Even if all fall away on account of you, I never will.’ ‘Truly I tell you,’ Jesus answered, ‘this very night, before the cock crows, you will disown me three times.’ (Matthew 26:31-34)
Peter followed at a distance. And when some there had kindled a fire in the middle of the courtyard and had sat down together, Peter sat down with them. A servant-girl saw him seated there in the firelight. She looked closely at him and said, ‘This man was with him.’ But he denied it. ‘Woman, I don’t know him,’ he said. A little later someone else saw him and said, ‘You also are one of them.’ ‘Man, I am not!’ Peter replied. About an hour later another asserted, ‘Certainly this fellow was with him, for he is a Galilean.’ Peter replied, ‘Man, I don’t know what you’re talking about!’ Just as he was speaking, the cock crowed. The Lord turned and looked straight at Peter. Then Peter remembered the word the Lord had spoken to him: ‘Before the cock crows today, you will disown me three times.’ And he went outside and wept bitterly. (Luke 22:54-62)
Then Simon Peter, who had a sword, drew it and struck the high priest’s servant, cutting off his right ear. Jesus commanded Peter, ‘Put your sword away! Shall I not drink the cup the Father has given me?’ (John 18:10-11)
Lord, so often we can relate to Peter. We are prone to think that we will always be faithful and yet at crucial times our choices and behaviour let us down, and we end up denying you. We may also be quick to act or speak because we think we’re doing the right thing, and yet we are so far from that, nothing at all like the example of Jesus. We know the pain of feeling you almost look at us and we shrink with shame. And yet, we’re also thankful that this wasn’t the end for Peter, and we thank you for all that he was to become by your grace. Today remind us that our failures don’t need to mark our future, and that the same Jesus who forgave and restored Peter still offers that same hope to us, however far we have fallen.
TUESDAY
Religious Leaders
‘Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You give a tenth of your spices – mint, dill and cumin. But you have neglected the more important matters of the law – justice, mercy and faithfulness. You should have practised the latter, without neglecting the former. You blind guides! You strain out a gnat but swallow a camel. Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You clean the outside of the cup and dish, but inside they are full of greed and self-indulgence. Blind Pharisee! First clean the inside of the cup and dish, and then the outside also will be clean. Woe to you, teachers of the law and Pharisees, you hypocrites! You are like whitewashed tombs, which look beautiful on the outside but on the inside are full of the bones of the dead and everything unclean. In the same way, on the outside you appear to people as righteous but on the inside you are full of hypocrisy and wickedness. (Matthew 23:23-28)
The chief priests and the whole Sanhedrin were looking for false evidence against Jesus so that they could put him to death…Then they spat in his face and struck him with their fists. Others slapped him… (Matthew 26:59,67)
Father God, sometimes we read these words about religious leaders and we’re dumbstruck that they could behave as they did. We can’t believe that leaders would sink so low. And yet we also know that these warnings of Jesus can land very close to home for us as well. We know what it is to get caught up in traps of legalism because we wanted to be so zealous for you but we ended up missing the big picture. And we have also been guilty of saying we are your people and yet behaving so badly towards others. Help us to examine our lives closely and, by your Spirit, reveal to us our own blind spots. May our lives be consistent, reflecting the grace and love that you have shown to us, and may you show us where we may have got hung up on the wrong priorities.
WEDNESDAY
Faithful Women
Many women were there, watching from a distance. They had followed Jesus from Galilee to care for his needs. Among them were Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James and Joseph, and the mother of Zebedee’s sons. (Matthew 27:55-56)
In Galilee these women had followed him and cared for his needs. Many other women who had come up with him to Jerusalem were also there. (Mark 15:41)
Mary Magdalene and the other Mary were sitting there opposite the tomb. (Matthew 27:61)
Lord God, thank you for the example of these faithful women who followed Jesus closely and were never afraid to take their stand, especially in a day where they were not always valued as they should have been, and when others were setting such bad examples! Thank you that they never gave up, and that they were there to experience some of the most important events of this week. Thank you too for the faithful women in our own lives whose godly example has had such an important impact in who we are, and who have led us to you. Help us to learn from them and to follow the example they have given us, so that we also may be able to lead others closer to you.
THURSDAY
Pilate
‘Do you want me to release to you the king of the Jews?’ asked Pilate, knowing it was out of self-interest that the chief priests had handed Jesus over to him. But the chief priests stirred up the crowd to get Pilate to release Barabbas instead. ‘What shall I do, then, with the one you call the king of the Jews?’ Pilate asked them. ‘Crucify him!’ they shouted. ‘Why? What crime has he committed?’ asked Pilate. But they shouted all the louder, ‘Crucify him!’ Wanting to satisfy the crowd, Pilate released Barabbas to them. He had Jesus flogged, and handed him over to be crucified.
(Mark 15:9-15)
‘Do you refuse to speak to me?’ Pilate said. ‘Don’t you realise I have power either to free you or to crucify you?’ Jesus answered, ‘You would have no power over me if it were not given to you from above.’ (John 19:10-11)
Father, give us courage today to take a stand for what we know to be right. Help us to seek your approval rather than the approval of the world and the people around us, even when it means making tough decisions. Give us wisdom when we are confronted by tricky situations and help us to walk faithfully before you. And protect us from thinking that we are more important than we are! When we are tempted, like Pilate, to think that we are so significant or powerful, please humble us before you, and help us to be thankful that you are the one in charge, not us!
FRIDAY
Jesus
Jesus knew that the Father had put all things under his power, and that he had come from God and was returning to God; so he got up from the meal, took off his outer clothing, and wrapped a towel round his waist. After that, he poured water into a basin and began to wash his disciples’ feet, drying them with the towel that was wrapped round him … ‘Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another’s feet. I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you.’ (John 13:3-5, 14-15)
Going a little farther, he fell with his face to the ground and prayed, ‘My Father, if it is possible, may this cup be taken from me. Yet not as I will, but as you will.’ Then he returned to his disciples and found them sleeping. ‘Couldn’t you men keep watch with me for one hour?’ he asked Peter. ‘Watch and pray so that you will not fall into temptation. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.’ He went away a second time and prayed, ‘My Father, if it is not possible for this cup to be taken away unless I drink it, may your will be done.’ (Matthew 26:39-42)
Jesus said, ‘Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.’ (Luke 23:34)
Thank you, Lord Jesus, for your supreme example of service – that you came not to be served but to serve, and to give your life as a ransom for us. Thank you that you lived out an example of service and generosity in every way and help us to follow your example with each other. Thank you that you were willing to pay whatever price was necessary to do the Father’s will and enable us by your Spirit to be faithful in all the situations where you have placed us. And above all, thank you that your words of forgiveness are also spoken over us. Too often we let you down by doing the opposite of what you did – we want to be served, and we don’t remain faithful when it’s tough – and yet you offer us the same forgiveness that you offered to those who crucified and mocked you. Forgive us again today for failing you and thank you that your faithfulness has ensured our pardon.
SATURDAY
Judas
Then Satan entered Judas, called Iscariot, one of the Twelve. And Judas went to the chief priests and the officers of the temple guard and discussed with them how he might betray Jesus. They were delighted and agreed to give him money. He consented, and watched for an opportunity to hand Jesus over to them when no crowd was present. (Luke 22:3-6)
Just as he was speaking, Judas, one of the Twelve, appeared. With him was a crowd armed with swords and clubs, sent from the chief priests, the teachers of the law, and the elders. Now the betrayer had arranged a signal with them: ‘The one I kiss is the man; arrest him and lead him away under guard.’ Going at once to Jesus, Judas said, ‘Rabbi!’ and kissed him. (Mark 14:43-45)
When Judas, who had betrayed him, saw that Jesus was condemned, he was seized with remorse and returned the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and the elders. ‘I have sinned,’ he said, ‘for I have betrayed innocent blood.’ ‘What is that to us?’ they replied. ‘That’s your responsibility.’ So Judas threw the money into the temple and left. Then he went away and hanged himself.
(Matthew 27:3-5)
Lord, we’re so uncomfortable when we think about Judas; his story is so devastating, and on one level we can’t get our heads around how he could betray Jesus. And yet on another level we’re uncomfortable because we know what it’s like to let you down. We too have betrayed you by our thoughts and actions, our anger, our pride, and our lack of trust. Help us to be honest about our sin and failure but help us to see, unlike Judas, that it is not hopeless. Thank you that the message of Jesus shows us that there is hope, no matter how great a mess we have made, and draw us to yourself, confident in your promise of forgiveness and restoration.
EASTER SUNDAY
‘He’s Alive!’
When the Sabbath was over, Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of James, and Salome bought spices so that they might go to anoint Jesus’ body. Very early on the first day of the week, just after sunrise, they were on their way to the tomb and they asked each other, ‘Who will roll the stone away from the entrance of the tomb?’ But when they looked up, they saw that the stone, which was very large, had been rolled away. As they entered the tomb, they saw a young man dressed in a white robe sitting on the right side, and they were alarmed. ‘Don’t be alarmed,’ he said. ‘You are looking for Jesus the Nazarene, who was crucified. He has risen! He is not here. See the place where they laid him. But go, tell his disciples and Peter, “He is going ahead of you into Galilee. There you will see him, just as he told you.”’ (Mark 16:1-7)
Then the disciple whom Jesus loved said to Peter, ‘It is the Lord!’ As soon as Simon Peter heard him say, ‘It is the Lord,’ he wrapped his outer garment round him (for he had taken it off) and jumped into the water. (John 21:7)
Father God, thank you for those amazing words, ‘He has risen! He is not here!’ Thank you for the victory that was sounded over sin and death and hell when you raised Jesus from the dead by the power of your Spirit. Thank you that all of history changed in that moment, and that our stories changed too. Thank you that today we live in the light of the resurrection, with the hope that it brings for eternity but also here and now. Thank you that the presence of the risen Christ makes a difference to us, that light shines in our darkness because Jesus is alive. And thank you too that Jesus was so concerned to get that message especially to Peter, the one who had let him down so badly. Thank you that you love us like that, with all our failure and fears, and that your message of hope is just for us as if we were the only people in the world.