Finding sacred in the ordinary…
Holy Week can feel like a lot.
There’s beauty in it, of course—but also errands, work, emotions, dishes, conversations, and all the ordinary things that don’t pause just because Easter is coming. I don’t know about you, but sometimes I struggle with the tension of wanting to do all the “extras” that mark holy week, with the realities of commitments and responsibilities that can’t give way to more. And if I’m being honest, there is a real sense of guilt that can creep in, as though I’m just making excuses.
Maybe you can relate?
In our community, we try not to overfill the week. It’s not that we don’t value the remembrances of this holy week, because we do. But instead of a full calendar of “extra” gathered events, we look for the sacred in what’s already here. The quiet moments. The in-betweens. The chance to notice God in the small and the simple.
If that sounds like something your soul could use, here’s a Holy Week reading plan created with you in mind. One scripture a day. One gentle question to carry with you. Nothing fancy—just a way to stay present in a holy week that meets you in real life.
Finding the sacred in the ordinary.
Monday
John 12:1–8 — Mary anoints Jesus
Where can I offer love today—in a way that might seem small, but means something deep?
Look for the sacred in the way you prepare a meal, care for someone, or tend to something with intention.
Tuesday
John 12:20–36 — A seed falls to the ground
What small surrender is quietly asking for my attention right now?
Even the undone things and quiet no’s can hold grace.
Wednesday
Luke 22:1–6 — Judas’s quiet betrayal
Where in my life do I feel tension, hesitation, or fear? Can I bring that into the light?
Sometimes being honest is a holy act.
Thursday
John 13:1–17 — Jesus washes feet
How might I serve someone today, gently and without needing to be seen?
Folding laundry, listening well, doing the dishes—these are sacred acts, too.
Friday
John 19:16–30 — The crucifixion
What pain, grief, or weariness do I need to acknowledge today?
God doesn’t rush us past pain—He meets us in it.
Saturday
Luke 23:50–56 — The silence of the tomb
Can I give myself permission to rest in the waiting?
Stillness isn’t nothing. Sometimes it’s faith.
Sunday
John 20:1–18 — Resurrection morning
Where is new life quietly breaking through today?
It might look like a deep breath, a warm laugh, a second chance.
You don’t need a packed calendar or a perfect schedule to walk through Holy Week with meaning. You don’t need to attend every service or have all the right words or feel spiritually “on.” You don’t need to do more—you just need space to be.
Because the invitation of Holy Week isn’t to perform holiness. It’s to notice it.
Every single day, every encounter, and every situation offers an opportunity to recognize the sacred in the everyday—the meal you share with others, the conversations that carry weight, the moments of quiet desperation, the struggles you face, and the hope that refuses to let go, even when everything feels broken. God is already there.
So wherever this week finds you—tired, tender, expectant, distracted, or somewhere in between—just bring your whole, ordinary, beautiful life.
And let God meet you in it.
May your Holy Week be full of grace.
May it make room for breath.
May it offer a sacred pause right in the middle of real life.
May your week be full of grace, breath, and sacred pause.
Holy Week Reading PlanWritten by Pastor Maureen Brown, Communications and Worship Pastor.