In last summer’s “Inside Out 2,” Riley, our human in the story, discovers new emotions and ways to process these emotions as they arise in her body. The personified emotions all learn about one another and how their roles change or impact one another, ultimately impacting Riley. In one scene, Sadness asks Joy to go with her down into the memory pool. In response, Joy takes Sadness’s hand and replies, “Of course! Remember, Sadness, wherever I go, you go too.”
Cue Maggie ugly crying at this heartfelt moment. While these are fictional characters of human emotions, one thing is clear — this scene reminds the audience that Sadness is a part of Riley’s emotional team and will always be there. But so is Joy. It reminds the audience that accepting all of our emotions, even those seen as negative like Sadness, is vital to our being.
To me, the gift of Holy Week is holding joy and sadness together, but this requires intention. It is much easier to skip through the week and jump to the empty tomb and Easter joy. We want to hit fast forward, to skim the pain and sorrow of life. And while I understand the desire to let go of pain and grasp solely for joy, I am not able to do so.
If we take our journey to Easter one step at a time, there is something profound for us. While many are rushing to share the good news and joy of Sunday morning, we need to pause and be in the messy parts of the story. The part where, in anger, Jesus flips tables. The part where Jesus calls out and condemns religious leaders who go against God’s laws. The part where a friend and disciple of Christ betrays him for silver. The part where Jesus shares his last meal with those closest to him and then is handed over to the authorities. The part where Jesus is condemned to die. And the violent act of his death. The part where the world waits in silence, surrounded by pain and sorrow, on Holy Saturday.
Easter joy doesn’t exist without the sadness or pain.
Holy Week is a time for us to sit with the messiness of our lives and the messiness of the Easter story. By rushing to the ending, we avoid the middle and miss the whole point. Easter joy doesn’t exist without the sadness or pain. And in knowing this, we can come to know both joy and sadness better, which enriches the Easter story for us and grants us perspective in how we see ourselves and our hurting world.
Like Riley, we have all sorts of emotions that carry us through life, including our faith journey. When we choose Easter over Maundy Thursday, Good Friday or Holy Saturday, we cheapen the story. Because where joy goes, so does sadness — and vice versa. The joy on Easter morning is grand. We know what it feels like. And we want to experience it maybe more so this year than in others. But first, we need to sit with the other emotions of Holy Week. And through that, may we be awakened to all the pain and sorrow, but also the great joy and love that Holy Week brings us.
