Palm Sunday.
As we are now in Holy week I shall be offering each day a thought/reflection on the day using a reading, maybe some music as we walk with Christ each day and allow us to feel some of what he may have felt.
In this time when we are in more or less lockdown we can use the time to journey with Our Lord and at the end of the week we shall know the power of the Resurrection and can come back to our home so to speak, the richer for the pilgrimage and share that joy with others.
Jerusalem
Today we saw Jesus entering the city, Jerusalem. It was crowded and some people had laid clothing on the ground or were waving palms in the air.
Put yourself there. What did you do? Were you waving a palm? Were you hiding at the back of the crowd unsure what was actually going on or were you placing your outer garments on the floor? How did it feel in the city and were you comfortable? Being in a crowd in these days of social distancing?
After Jesus had passed by did you choose to go after him or did you go back to your base where it was quieter and less of a squash?
What have you learned about being in the crowd watching Jesus today>
Now to the gate of my Jerusalem,
The seething holy city of my heart,
The saviour comes. But will I welcome him?
Oh crowds of easy feelings make a start;
They raise their hands, get caught up in the singing,
And think the battle won. Too soon they’ll find
The challenge, the reversal he is bringing
Changes their tune. I know what lies behind
The surface flourish that so quickly fades;
Self-interest, and fearful guardedness,
The hardness of the heart, its barricades,
And at the core, the dreadful emptiness
Of a perverted temple. Jesus come
Break my resistance and make me your home.
“From Sounding the Seasons, by Malcolm Guite, CanterburyPress 2012”
Prayer
Lord Jesus,
Help us to follow you on the way to the Cross. Help us to open ourselves to see and feel things differently this year as we journey with you in isolation, from our homes, or on our daily exercise. Let us not be afraid to read and re read the events of your journey and as we shouted Hosanna today and clamoured to see you, where we will be as the week goes on. May we be open to you and not afraid to hide in the background.
Amen.