Holy Week teaches us to order our days according to Christ, around Christ, in Christ.

That is the cherry on top of the suffering-death-resurrection cake.

Because during Holy Week, we learn to clear our schedules, to plan life around Divine Services, to leave church with the words, “See you here tomorrow!” on our lips.

It’s the week that we buy special dresses and special hats, new bow ties and shiny shoes, wearing our best on the day we celebrate our Lord’s resurrection.

It’s the week that we pray to learn better how to defend the faith, annoyed with columnists and TV hosts claiming that Christianity is a real dud, a myth no one can prove, a belief no intelligent person would hold.

It’s the week we make special decorations–cookie tombs and candy crosses–to remember our Lord’s work on our behalf.

It’s the week we ask our neighbors, “What service are you going to on Sunday?” and “Will we see you at breakfast?”

That is to say, Holy Week sets the standard for all of life.

It teaches us to order every week according to Christ, around Christ, in Christ.

It teaches us to clear every schedule to be where God is, to plan life around where He comes to us, to leave a service anxious to see our church family again soon.

It teaches us to we take church seriously, that it is holy space, that we are reverent in it.

It teaches us to read and learn and inwardly digest what it means to be a Christian, a Lutheran, every week, not just to ward off naysayers, but to grow and stretch and be bold in our confession always.

It teaches us to fill our homes continually with things that make us think on Christ and His cross.

It teaches us to look up our neighbors and ask our friends to church, urging them to be where Christ has promised He is.

Yes, Holy Week sets our compass to Christ, to His humility, to the way in which He became one of us to save us.

But it also sets the tone for how we live as Christians in the weeks before and following, not just for Lent, but for Easter and Pentecost and Advent and every day before and after and in between.

Christ became obedient to death, even death on a cross. O come, let us worship Him.