circle of prayer 15. the week two: a christian remembering

for christians, the redemption of the world in jesus' death, descent among the dead, resurrection and ascension is irrepeatable, described in the words of the anglican book of common prayer as "his one oblation of himself once offered, a full, perfect, and sufficiant sacrifice, oblation, and satisfaction, for the sins of the whole world." one might expect the weekly, sunday, celebration of the eucharist, of the lord's supper, to suffice as the ". . . perpetual memory of that his precious death and sacrifice, until his coming again." but the human mind does not easily take in every meaning of this "one once" event, so the liturgy soon began to expand on the sunday's celebration.

easter gave meaning to every sunday. "holy week," the last week jesus spent in jerusalem before his resurrection, gave meaning to every week. by the second century the "station"days of wednesday and friday were related to our lord's betrayal and crucifixion, often as fast days. somewhat later thursdays came to be understood as recalling the last supper and institution of the holy eucharist. although the observance of the days of the week throughout the year has seldom been a major part of christian devotion, except for friday fasting, in many parts of the church the celebration of holy week overshadows, if not easter sunday, than certainly the great fifty days.