Palm Sunday... Holy Week Begins

Today is Palm Sunday- the beginning of the most Holy week of the year. As I sat in church today, amidst the joyous shouts of "Hosanna, Hosanna", my heart could not stop feeling a twinge of sadness. Today we celebrated Jesus' triumphant entry into Jerusalem. But my mind could not help but look at the week ahead... Holy Thursday where Christ shared in His final meal with His disciples, and then lovingly washed their feet, knowing that some of them would betray Him.... Good Friday where our Lord was crucified and died- for us-- for ME. How could my heart not feel deep anguish?

This afternoon, I began to reflect on this week. How would today have been different if I didn't know of the events that followed? I imagined being one of those who came out to greet Him with palm branches, shouting "Hosanna" (meaning "save"). The joy of seeing the man who could raise the dead, heal the sick, love the unlovable... I think it would be a most overwhelming moment. But then I think about being one of His disciples (as we all are) and sharing in a meal with Him and then later having Him wash my feet. I think of the love, and feel almost unworthy of that love. (I will be attending a foot washing on Holy Thursday, and the just the thought of Father Nigel- who to me is a living, loving example of the living, loving Christ- washing my feet already moves me to tears.) I think of Good Friday- I see myself as one who stopped to help Him, to wipe His blood stained face, and later to watch him nailed to a cross. I can imagine the pain of seeing this wonderful man in agony, would be more than I could bear.

As Holy Week begins, my heart beats with sadness, my mind quiets and focuses on thoughts of God's amazing love and His sacrifice for us all. Christ tells is in the Gospel of John, "Greater love has no one than this, that he lay down his life for his friends."

Never in all of the world, has there been a better example of "greater love" than the sacrifice of our Lord. It is a love that passes understanding. It is a love that has changed my life.