Make Space

By Charleen Burghardt

Make Space. What do those two words mean?

“Make Space” has recently been used for a new concept. The idea is to allow time to live, create, or enjoy life. In other words, think of opening the door to your house and letting someone walk in and visit with you. When you allow someone to visit with you, you give them time and attention and acknowledge their worth. Making space means opening your heart to being nonjudgmental, fully present, and listening.

Another similar term is “holding space.” The term first appeared in a blog post by Heather Plett, a writer and facilitator based in Canada, it went viral. In a then-viral 2015 blog post, Plett described holding space as “being willing to walk alongside another person in whatever journey they’re on, without judging them, making them feel inadequate, trying to fix them, or trying to impact the outcome.” Consequently, holding space refers to being fully present with someone else, without judgment or distraction, to share the other person’s perspective or experience.

Holding Space

Can we hold space to experience the hope of Easter more profoundly?

During this time of year, as Holy Week approaches, many of us participate in Lenten studies, others abstain from a particular food, and others take weekly communion. Still, others wait in joyful expectation of Easter morning. We all have different faith traditions, but all these practices point to the Crucifixion and the Resurrection. Without the Crucifixion, sin would enslave us and separate us from God. Without the Resurrection, we would have no hope of a new life in Christ. The Cross and the Resurrection are the most important events in Christianity and assure the believer of eternal life!

Hold Space to encounter God

Hope of New Life

Holy Week starts with Christ riding into Jerusalem on a donkey and the people waving palm branches.

In addition, the Catholics call Christ’s work of salvation the Paschal Mystery-it is the work Christ did to save us. It refers to Christ’s suffering (Passion), death, Resurrection, and Ascension.
Whatever your tradition or practice, make space to meditate on the last week of Jesus’s earthly life. Allow yourself time to walk alongside Jesus in the events leading to the Cross, the Resurrection, and the Ascension.

Paschal Mystery

The gospel writers gave more pages to Christ’s work to save us than to the early part of his ministry. In the Gospel of John, chapters 13-17, Jesus gives his last words to the disciples during the Last Supper. The Gospel of Mark, chapters 14 and 15, record the final week leading up to the Crucifixion, starting with Mary anointing Jesus’ feet, the Last Supper, the prayer in Gethsemane, the betrayal, trials, and the Crucifixion. Furthermore, Matthew’s Gospel tells the last week of Christ’s life and the Resurrection in seven chapters. In the Gospel of Luke, chapter 24, Luke records the glorious Resurrection with the empty tomb and recounts the Ascension of Christ in the book of Acts.

Suffering, Death, Resurrection and Ascension

Can we hold space for the Savior during this season when we prepare to remember the Cross, pondering all Christ endured and suffered to die for our sins?

Can you make room to contemplate the gift of Christ’s Resurrection? Allow your thoughts to dwell on the victory of all Christ accomplished when he rose from the dead.

Contemplate

Ponder

Meditate

Be fully present

Make space to encounter God

In fact, one-third of the Gospel of Matthew is the last week of Christ’s life, Matthew 21-28.

While, the last third of the Gospel of Mark covers the final days Jesus walked on earth and the Resurrection, Mark 11-16.

Moreover, one-fourth of the Gospel of Luke records the events leading to the Crucifixion, the death, burial, and Resurrection of Christ, Luke 19-24.

Almost half of the Gospel of John retells the last words of Jesus and the final week of Christ’s life, along with the Resurrection, John 12-21.

Finally, the first chapter of the Book of Acts recounts the ascension of Jesus.

Here is a challenge to you: Read one or several gospel accounts. Hear anew. Listen without distraction. Experience afresh the meaning of the Cross and the Resurrection. Hold space to encounter God.

Picture yourself holding the Gospel story and letting it speak to you.
Sit with the Resurrection story and look for a nugget you never realized before.

Because of the grace offered to us in Christ, we can have hope.

Grace Offers Hope,

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