Friends,
I am writing to ask you for prayer. Not just for me, but for pastors everywhere. I’ve been working on this post in my mind all week. I wasn’t sure I really had time to write it, and then I came across the story in the national press about a pastor’s recent suicide.
I decided to make it a priority to ask you to pray for the pastors you know, especially this week. I didn’t know this man, or anything about him. What I do know is that holy week is hard.
Yes, holy week is busy, like the end of the fiscal year for some or tax season for others
(Hey, Bonus! This year tax day fell during holy week!)
Holy week also carries a lot of pressure. It carries enormous theological weight
(This is what it’s all about, man!)
Not to mention the fact that Sunday is one of those days when people show up to church who haven’t been in ages, or have never been, or are suddenly faces a major life crisis and turning to the church as they grasp for a lifeline.
(No pressure.)
Holy week is also emotionally intense. Trudging through those last days with Jesus weighs heavy on our hearts. We are tasked with bearing the somber story of the passion of Christ to our congregations, and as we do so, we look out into the congregation and we know much of your grief.
We see the couple (or maybe just one of you)who has been in our office wondering if the marriage will make it through. We see the families who have buried grandma/ husband/ brother/ child this year, and we feel our throats catch at how real and raw their grief will be as they place themselves at the foot of the cross. We wonder if we will do the resurrection justice when Sunday rolls around. Will our words bring hope? Will all the pomp and circumstance have any meaning?
And we have home lives.
Sometimes, that life is good, is working, is healthy, is what we have hoped for.
Sometimes, – just like anyone else’s – our lives are frought with struggle. Sometimes finances just refuse to add up.
(Did I mention tax day fell in holy week this year?)
Sometimes marriages are not the source of mutual care and support and respect we desire. Sometimes children are ill, or filled with anxieties of their own that need parental soothing. Sometimes we are acutely aware of our failings. Sometimes we are in the midst of our own grief, and we aren’t sure we can lead you down this road because our eyes are so filled with tears.
Lest you think my life is secretly falling apart, I assure you it is not. You see, if this was one of those years for me, I don’t believe I would have it in me to share this with you.
I share because I am in a good place this holy week, willing, ready and able to walk with Jesus, to wash feet and – I hope – watch and pray. As I do, I see many of my brothers and sisters struggling, and I invite you to enter into a specific kind of watching and prayer: Pray for the pastors you know.
Pray that they will know the love of community, and find others in whom to confide struggles and receive support.
Pray that they will take time to feed themselves, to pray and center themselves with God.
Pray that they will find the strength to bring their own burdens and those of their parishioners to the foot of the cross.
Pray that they may find meaning in mysterious and familiar texts and that they may find the words to bring hope to a broken world.
and while you’re at it, maybe let them know they’re in your prayers this week.
preacherparents 