Rushing Easter

Maybe this happens every year and I'm only just noticing it. Just like Christmas, people seem to rush Easter and ignoring the special character of Holy Week. No one wishes to get in the middle of the heightening controversy between Jesus and the Jewish authorities; no one wants to dwell on the ways in which we betray Christ with Judas; no one wishes to sit with Christ at the Last Supper; no one wishes to stay awake with Christ in the agony in the garden, or to dwell in the pain of scourging and crucifixion. I’ve noticed this especially with the Evangelicals I’m around. Yes, we are Easter people, but there is no Easter without Good Friday. Dwell there, live it this week. There’s a whole fifty days after Easter that you can celebrate being Easter people! Can we not watch with Jesus for one week?