The Path of
Holy Week
“Hosanna to the Son of David; blessed is he who comes in the
name of the Lord; hosanna in the highest.” (Matt 21: 9)
Tomorrow is Palm Sunday, the beginning of Holy Week. On this Sunday the people of Jerusalem
welcomed Jesus, singing praise and spreading palms before Him as He entered the city. By Friday some of them would be among those demanding
His crucifixion and death.
Holy Week is a journey that we are meant to take with our
Lord. From His glorious entry into
Jerusalem to His death on the cross. We
are to be with Him as He cleansed the temple in outrage of what had become of
the temple of God. We are to be with Judas
as he betrays the Son of God.
We are to be there at the Last Supper as Jesus institutes the
new covenant in His blood. We watch as
the Son of God took on the task of the lowliest of slaves to wash the feet of the
apostles. We see Him as He blesses the water and wine of the Eucharist, offering His own Body and Blood for the salvation of mankind.
Walk with Him to the Garden of
Gethsemane, see Him fall to His knees and pray, “Abba, father, all things
are possible to you. Take this cup away
from me, but not what I will but what you will.” (Mark 14:36).
Stand in the crowd screaming for His death though we know in
our hearts He did nothing wrong. See Him
torn and bleeding from the scourging, the thorns of a crown piercing His skin. Blood flowing from Him.
Walk with Him as He carries His cross. Watch as the soldiers stretch
His arms, nailing Him to the wood of the cross. Sit with Mary, His mother as she watches her
son suffer and die.
This week we are to experience the sacrifice He made for us;
to be a part of His rejection, betrayal, abandonment, torture and death. In this year, when we can’t gather for these
holy days ahead, perhaps we can offer this as our Lenten sacrifice to Him, thanking
Him for His sacrifice for us.
You gave
Your life for us.
You offer
forgiveness and mercy.
May we
accept your sacrifice
With a
humble and contrite heart.
Amen
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