Opening Let's begin with a moment of silence, centering our minds, bodies, and hearts upon the Lord our God. Quote “All who truly believe in Christ and cleave to Him with all their soul, are changed into his image by the power of his Resurrection.” -St. Theophan the Recluse Reflection “I have seen the Lord!” In just five words, Mary Magdalene points us not only to the aim and destination of this Lenten season but also to the entire purpose of human existence. To live is to see the Lord, encountering the living and resurrected Christ in all His mystery and wonder. Any act of devotion, practice of prayer, or habit of faith is meant to lead you to a single destination: Jesus Christ. If you’ve made it to the end of the season of Lent, it has undoubtedly been filled with life’s ups and downs—moments of great joy and wonder interwoven with unexpected pain and acute loss. Life is never an easily-distinguished season of joy or sorrow. Instead, we live in the tension of multiple emotions and realities. Thus, our “return” to the Lord is never simple or straightforward. We must contend daily with the sickness within while simultaneously longing for the healing that comes from above. Today, on Resurrection Sunday, we return to the empty tomb, looking back at a singular moment that changed the very fabric of creation itself. Yet we also look ahead to the righting of every wrong, the return of our Lord in glory to heal the world. And in the space between glory and glory, the everyday realities of our lives, we return daily, learning to see Jesus today as more beautiful and worthy of unceasing devotion than He was the day before. And so, having completed our journey of returning to our Lord, let us now cleave to Him with all our might, seeking “the things that are above, where Christ is, seated at the right hand of God” (Col 3:1). Prayer O God, who for our redemption gave Your only-begotten Son to the death of the cross, and by His glorious resurrection delivered us from the power of our enemy: Grant us so to die daily to sin, that we may evermore live with Him in the joy of His resurrection; through Jesus Christ Your Son our Lord, who lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen. Reflective Practice Though our Lenten journey is now complete, our life with Christ is just beginning! Reflect on the ways the Lord has met you in this journey, showing you great mercy, and continue to live daily in His love, returning to Him with a heart of repentance, gratitude, and unceasing devotion. Read John 20:1-18 - Early on the first day of the week, while it was still dark, Mary Magdalene went to the tomb and saw that the stone had been removed from the entrance. 2 So she came running to Simon Peter and the other disciple, the one Jesus loved, and said, “They have taken the Lord out of the tomb, and we don’t know where they have put him!” 3 So Peter and the other disciple started for the tomb. 4 Both were running, but the other disciple outran Peter and reached the tomb first. 5 He bent over and looked in at the strips of linen lying there but did not go in. 6 Then Simon Peter came along behind him and went straight into the tomb. He saw the strips of linen lying there, 7 as well as the cloth that had been wrapped around Jesus’ head. The cloth was still lying in its place, separate from the linen. 8 Finally the other disciple, who had reached the tomb first, also went inside. He saw and believed. 9 (They still did not understand from Scripture that Jesus had to rise from the dead.) 10 Then the disciples went back to where they were staying. 11 Now Mary stood outside the tomb crying. As she wept, she bent over to look into the tomb 12 and saw two angels in white, seated where Jesus’ body had been, one at the head and the other at the foot. 13 They asked her, “Woman, why are you crying?” “They have taken my Lord away,” she said, “and I don’t know where they have put him.” 14 At this, she turned around and saw Jesus standing there, but she did not realize that it was Jesus. 15 He asked her, “Woman, why are you crying? Who is it you are looking for?” Thinking he was the gardener, she said, “Sir, if you have carried him away, tell me where you have put him, and I will get him.” 16 Jesus said to her, “Mary.” She turned toward him and cried out in Aramaic, “Rabboni!” (which means “Teacher”). 17 Jesus said, “Do not hold on to me, for I have not yet ascended to the Father. Go instead to my brothers and tell them, ‘I am ascending to my Father and your Father, to my God and your God.’” 18 Mary Magdalene went to the disciples with the news: “I have seen the Lord!” And she told them that he had said these things to her.
Opening Let's begin with a moment of silence, centering our minds, bodies, and hearts upon the Lord our God. Quote “I said to my soul, be still, and wait without hope For hope would be hope for the wrong thing; wait without love, For love would be love of the wrong thing; there is yet faith But the faith and the love and the hope are all in the waiting.” -T.S. Eliot Reflection Holy Saturday has always been a strange day for me. Lent is technically over, but Easter is not yet here. The death of Christ has been remembered but not His resurrection. If God or the early church had consulted someone before arranging the calendar, they might have been told, “Better to strike while the iron is hot. Just when everyone’s emotions at Jesus’ death are at their highest pitch—the next day is the time to celebrate the Resurrection.” Instead, we have this in-between space, the Sabbath when Jesus’ body rested, a hiatus between mourning and celebration. What should we do with it? Early Christians associated this day with Christ’s descent to Sheol, or Hades, where, in Peter’s words, He “preached even to those who are dead,” freeing righteous souls by conquering death from the inside: “trampling down death by death.” The Bible doesn’t spell this out, but whatever Christ’s soul was doing while He lay entombed, it remained separate from His body. This is the time when Christ was dead. And, unless He died (and stayed dead for a space of time), Christ could not overturn death itself. In many ways, then, part of our redemption occurs today, for most of us will also spend time separate from our bodies. But Holy Saturday also feels awkward because it symbolizes the uncertain place most of us occupy. Like Jesus’ cowering or scattered followers (or the writer of Lamentations), we do not understand what God is invisibly doing when He dashes our hopes. We’re confused about the shattered images of God in our lives, good things that have been broken and buried. Scriptures bear witness that even in confusion, we can trust that He has defeated death, even if we do not notice it yet. As we trust, we must wait. Prayer O God, Creator of heaven and earth: Grant that, as the crucified body of your dear Son was laid in the tomb and rested on this holy Sabbath, so we may await with Him the coming of the third day, and rise with Him to newness of life; who now lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, forever and ever. Amen. Reflective Practice Find an icon of the Resurrection or the Harrowing of Hell and draw or trace it, meditating on it as you do so. Read John 19:38-42 - 38 Later, Joseph of Arimathea asked Pilate for the body of Jesus. Now Joseph was a disciple of Jesus, but secretly because he feared the Jewish leaders. With Pilate’s permission, he came and took the body away. 39 He was accompanied by Nicodemus, the man who earlier had visited Jesus at night. Nicodemus brought a mixture of myrrh and aloes, about seventy-five pounds. 40 Taking Jesus’ body, the two of them wrapped it, with the spices, in strips of linen. This was in accordance with Jewish burial customs. 41 At the place where Jesus was crucified, there was a garden, and in the garden a new tomb, in which no one had ever been laid. 42 Because it was the Jewish day of Preparation and since the tomb was nearby, they laid Jesus there.
Opening Let's begin with a moment of silence, centering our minds, bodies, and hearts upon the Lord our God. Quote “Even on the cross he did not hide himself from sight; rather, he made all creation witness to the presence of its Maker.” -St. Athanasius Reflection Today Christ is “exalted” and “lifted up” (Isa 52:15). A routine yet brutal execution, witnessed by a handful of people, is somehow a display for the world. But of what? The pattern of God’s self-giving love has been public knowledge since before the prophets, going back to Abraham, Noah, the Garden of Eden—as far back as God’s words and deeds toward His creation stretch. The covenants. The sacrifices. The Servant described in Isaiah. The sign over Jesus’ cross makes it plain, in several languages: This is the King of the Jews. The one who shows the world that God is in charge. But no one expected this. A cross with God on it? No one would have imagined it. And yet, all these prophecies and signs are fulfilled. It is finished. All of history bends toward Jesus as He suffers and dies. The fountain from which creation sprang is now revealed, love utterly poured out. Jesus is showing us how God gives, how God is, the essence of God’s authority. In the moment, we don’t see it. But eventually, in retrospect, we do: Jesus Christ is the Lord of all, the center of reality. No matter how long we have known the Lord, His ways are still deeper, more mysterious, more beautiful. They change our definitions of wisdom and power, what it means to love, to be His Beloved. There is so much that can be said about where the Gospel takes us today and where it leaves us. But if those words don’t lead us to awed silence, then perhaps they are not the right words. Prayer Almighty God, we pray You graciously behold this your family, for whom our Lord Jesus Christ was willing to be betrayed, and given into the hands of sinners, and to suffer death upon the cross; who now lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, forever and ever. Amen. Reflective Practice Consider deepening your fast today—whatever might make extra room in your day for silence and quiet of heart. Spend as much time as you’re able in silent reflection or prayer. Breathe deeply. Remember Christ on the cross. Remind yourself that this is your Lord. Read John 18 + 19
Opening Let's begin with a moment of silence, centering our minds, bodies, and hearts upon the Lord our God. Quote “I didn’t go to religion to make me happy. I always knew a bottle of Port would do that. If you want a religion to make you feel really comfortable, I certainly don’t recommend Christianity.” -C.S. Lewis Reflection We learn a great deal about Christian practice from St. Peter. In Scripture, he is not portrayed as a perfect human being but as someone who sometimes gets it wrong. Peter loves the Lord and is a devoted follower but struggles with wanting that devotion to be demonstrated on his terms. “Look how committed I am!” His actions seem to say, but often Jesus shakes His head and admonishes Peter. Consider the account of Jesus washing His disciples’ feet. At first, Peter says no, certain he is correct in refusing—a master should not wash the feet of His servants. His own overconfidence makes Peter miss Jesus’ lesson in humility. After Jesus rebukes him, Peter then overcompensates. If Jesus is to wash his feet, then Peter wants his hands and head washed as well. Again, in his hasty zeal, Peter has missed the point. Later, Peter draws a sword to prevent Jesus from being arrested. This is not the kind of courage Jesus is seeking from Peter. Rather, He is looking for the kind of courage Peter later fails to exhibit when he denies knowing Jesus three times. In these examples, Peter fails to really listen to Jesus, and so his acts of devotion crash and burn. It takes time for Peter to fully understand his calling. It can take us time as well. The Lord does not call us to live on our own terms but on His. It can be uncomfortable to relinquish our ideas about who we are and how we want to prove our Christian devotion. If we do not learn to do so, however, we are not truly followers of Jesus Christ but merely followers of our own selfish desires. Prayer Almighty Father, whose dear Son, on the night before He suffered, instituted the Sacrament of His Body and Blood: Mercifully grant that we may receive it thankfully in remembrance of Jesus Christ our Lord, who in these holy mysteries gives us a pledge of eternal life; and who now lives and reigns with You and the Holy Spirit, one God, forever and ever. Amen. Reflective Practice Look over your resume. Consider the elements on it that you consider important to defining who you are. How much of that emphasis is driven by your desire to be seen as the best, and how much by desiring the glory of God on His terms? Read John 13:1-17 - It was just before the Passover Festival. Jesus knew that the hour had come for him to leave this world and go to the Father. Having loved his own who were in the world, he loved them to the end. 2 The evening meal was in progress, and the devil had already prompted Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot, to betray Jesus. 3 Jesus knew that the Father had put all things under his power, and that he had come from God and was returning to God; 4 so he got up from the meal, took off his outer clothing, and wrapped a towel around his waist. 5 After that, he poured water into a basin and began to wash his disciples’ feet, drying them with the towel that was wrapped around him. 6 He came to Simon Peter, who said to him, “Lord, are you going to wash my feet?” 7 Jesus replied, “You do not realize now what I am doing, but later you will understand.” 8 “No,” said Peter, “you shall never wash my feet.” Jesus answered, “Unless I wash you, you have no part with me.” 9 “Then, Lord,” Simon Peter replied, “not just my feet but my hands and my head as well!” 10 Jesus answered, “Those who have had a bath need only to wash their feet; their whole body is clean. And you are clean, though not every one of you.” 11 For he knew who was going to betray him, and that was why he said not every one was clean. 12 When he had finished washing their feet, he put on his clothes and returned to his place. “Do you understand what I have done for you?” he asked them. 13 “You call me ‘Teacher’ and ‘Lord,’ and rightly so, for that is what I am. 14 Now that I, your Lord and Teacher, have washed your feet, you also should wash one another’s feet. 15 I have set you an example that you should do as I have done for you. 16 Very truly I tell you, no servant is greater than his master, nor is a messenger greater than the one who sent him. 17 Now that you know these things, you will be blessed if you do them. John 13:31-35 - 31 When he was gone, Jesus said, “Now the Son of Man is glorified and God is glorified in him. 32 If God is glorified in him, God will glorify the Son in himself, and will glorify him at once. 33 “My children, I will be with you only a little longer. You will look for me, and just as I told the Jews, so I tell you now: Where I am going, you cannot come. 34 “A new command I give you: Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another. 35 By this everyone will know that you are my disciples, if you love one another.”
Opening Let's begin with a moment of silence, centering our minds, bodies, and hearts upon the Lord our God. Quote “Christ belongs to the lowly of heart, and not to those who would exalt themselves over His flock. The coming of our Lord Jesus Christ, the Scepter of God’s Majesty, was in no pomp of pride and haughtiness—as it could so well have been—but in self-abasement…” -St. Clement Reflection In two days, we usually meditate on the physical pain of Jesus’ crucifixion—the flogging, the crown of thorns, the slow asphyxiating agony of His death. But this pain is mingled inextricably with shame, betrayal, and the loss of a group of friends. These friends forsake each other and Christ, not because they fear death (most are willing to take part in a glorious-if-doomed Maccabean-style uprising) but because they fear dying like criminals. They fear being tarred with the same brush as their disgraced leader, rejected by Jews and Gentiles. Crucifixion is ignominy. Humans are social beings, and Christ was fully human. His tradition, meanwhile, recognized that shame and backstabbing hurt more than physical torture. Isaiah’s speaker, the writer of Hebrews, and the psalmist are far more preoccupied with disgrace and betrayal than pain—the shame of others saying “Aha! Aha!”, beard-plucking, spitting, “hostility from sinners”—all of which come to a head in Jesus’ betrayal, rejection, and crucifixion. Yet Christ “despised the shame” of the cross. What does that mean? He was certainly sensitive to that shame. The psalm He calls out from the cross (“My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”) interprets disgrace and betrayal as signs that even God has betrayed the sufferer. Yet after assenting to Judas’ betrayal, on the way to having His body and reputation twisted beyond repair, Jesus says, “Now is the Son of Man glorified, and God is glorified in Him.” Christ undergoes all this as the “Son of Man,” identifying with us in our shame and betrayal, to transform our absolute ignominy, uncleanness, and loneliness into occasions for glory. In despising the shame of the cross, Christ willingly experiences it to the uttermost, and God converts it to honor and praise. Prayer Lord God, whose blessed Son our Savior gave His body to be whipped and his face to be spit upon: Give us grace to accept joyfully the sufferings of the present time, confident of the glory that shall be revealed; through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen. Reflective Practice Reach out to the despised, rejected, the shamed in prayer and action. Focus on their social needs more than their physical needs (but meet these as well if you can). Which people in your family, social circles, or commute need most (or deserve least) to be treated as fellow humans or fellow Christians? Read John 13:21-32 - 21 After he had said this, Jesus was troubled in spirit and testified, “Very truly I tell you, one of you is going to betray me.” 22 His disciples stared at one another, at a loss to know which of them he meant. 23 One of them, the disciple whom Jesus loved, was reclining next to him. 24 Simon Peter motioned to this disciple and said, “Ask him which one he means.” 25 Leaning back against Jesus, he asked him, “Lord, who is it?” 26 Jesus answered, “It is the one to whom I will give this piece of bread when I have dipped it in the dish.” Then, dipping the piece of bread, he gave it to Judas, the son of Simon Iscariot. 27 As soon as Judas took the bread, Satan entered into him. So Jesus told him, “What you are about to do, do quickly.” 28 But no one at the meal understood why Jesus said this to him. 29 Since Judas had charge of the money, some thought Jesus was telling him to buy what was needed for the festival, or to give something to the poor. 30 As soon as Judas had taken the bread, he went out. And it was night. 31 When he was gone, Jesus said, “Now the Son of Man is glorified and God is glorified in him. 32 If God is glorified in him, God will glorify the Son in himself, and will glorify him at once.
Opening Let's begin with a moment of silence, centering our minds, bodies, and hearts upon the Lord our God. Quote “God loves us more than a father, mother, friend, or any else could love, and even more than we are able to love ourselves.” -St. John Chrysostom Reflection “God loves you and is here to save you” expresses Jesus’ whole earthly life. The problem is, God’s people are used to this message. They’ve heard it for hundreds of years. Even the best, the truest things, can become par for the course. Oh, yes, I know this one. We see the Sunday school answers coming way ahead. Does the truth get stale? Or do we? One of the paradoxes about the Word is that He is not only unimaginably ancient and unchanging but also eternally fresh, like a rushing mountain spring. G.K. Chesterton suggests we can see God’s tireless joy even in the cycles of nature. When God makes yet another daisy or another day, it’s as if He’s saying, “Do it again.” Maybe one of the greatest tragedies of the Fall that Jesus comes to deliver us from is not what we do but what we lack: sensitive hearts easy to delight, easy to break with sorrow and beauty, commitment and love—the fullness of joy. The Lord says it again. Except, this time, “God loves you and is here to save you” comes in His own Nazarene accent, with his eyes looking into each of our own. He knows we’ll reject this offer, as we rejected the prophets who came before, and will kill it and bury it in the ground. To become sensitized to divine love is too painful. But we don’t know that what we reject is a seed God will plant. God will “do it again,” patiently, turning our rejection into a new harvest of love. Prayer O God, by the passion of your blessed Son you made an instrument of shameful death to be for us the means of life: Grant us so to glory in the cross of Christ, that we may gladly suffer shame and loss for the sake of your Son our Savior Jesus Christ, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, forever and ever. Amen. Reflective Practice This week, as you read Scripture, don’t rush or feel pressure to read every passage. As soon as something sounds strange or fresh, or moves you, or puzzles you, stop there. Stay there for the rest of your reflection time. Ask the living Lord what He might be saying to you or inviting you to notice. Read John 12:20-36 - 20 Now there were some Greeks among those who went up to worship at the festival. 21 They came to Philip, who was from Bethsaida in Galilee, with a request. “Sir,” they said, “we would like to see Jesus.” 22 Philip went to tell Andrew; Andrew and Philip in turn told Jesus. 23 Jesus replied, “The hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified. 24 Very truly I tell you, unless a kernel of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains only a single seed. But if it dies, it produces many seeds. 25 Anyone who loves their life will lose it, while anyone who hates their life in this world will keep it for eternal life. 26 Whoever serves me must follow me; and where I am, my servant also will be. My Father will honor the one who serves me. 27 “Now my soul is troubled, and what shall I say? ‘Father, save me from this hour’? No, it was for this very reason I came to this hour. 28 Father, glorify your name!” Then a voice came from heaven, “I have glorified it, and will glorify it again.” 29 The crowd that was there and heard it said it had thundered; others said an angel had spoken to him. 30 Jesus said, “This voice was for your benefit, not mine. 31 Now is the time for judgment on this world; now the prince of this world will be driven out. 32 And I, when I am lifted up] from the earth, will draw all people to myself.” 33 He said this to show the kind of death he was going to die. 34 The crowd spoke up, “We have heard from the Law that the Messiah will remain forever, so how can you say, ‘The Son of Man must be lifted up’? Who is this ‘Son of Man’?” 35 Then Jesus told them, “You are going to have the light just a little while longer. Walk while you have the light, before darkness overtakes you. Whoever walks in the dark does not know where they are going. 36 Believe in the light while you have the light, so that you may become children of light.” When he had finished speaking, Jesus left and hid himself from them.
Opening Let's begin with a moment of silence, centering our minds, bodies, and hearts upon the Lord our God. Quote “The beginning of evils is distraction.” -Abba Poemen Reflection The Monday of Holy Week can feel like the week’s trajectory has crashed and burned. In many churches, there is typically a lot of hoopla around Palm Sunday: processing with palm branches, special hymns and music, and long, dramatic readings of the Passion narrative. Often, the special services and church-led devotional practices will not pick back up again until Maundy Thursday. Thus, for the next few days, we may feel spiritually adrift. As it happens, there is a great deal to do. Now is the time for preparation, and there is important work to be done. Though Lent can seem long, Holy Week can still sneak up on us. On Monday, we may realize that we do not feel wholly prepared to bear witness to Christ’s trial, scourging, crucifixion, and death. What does it mean for us to bear the responsibility for these acts, to recognize that these are the wages of our sin, as St. Paul writes, but that they are being paid in full by another? In our daily lives, we dig our own graves, but Christ lifts us out of that pit by being lifted high on a cross. Yes, there is much to reckon with in this last week of Lent. One way to begin is by taking an uncompromising look at our priorities, particularly in this holiest of weeks. What are we valuing most by giving it most of our time and attention? Are we entering Holy Week distracted and overextended? Let us prepare for the rest of Holy Week by clearing our minds and calendars with all that is not strictly necessary. Jesus died for our whole selves, and these selves must be present to bear witness to that sacrifice. Prayer Almighty God, whose dear Son went not up to joy but first He suffered pain, and entered not into glory before He was crucified: Mercifully grant that we, walking in the way of the cross, may find it none other than the way of life and peace through Jesus Christ your Son our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, forever and ever. Amen. Reflective Practice Read and listen to John 12:1-11. Consider Jesus’ condemnation of Judas’s financial priorities. How can these lessons apply to the priorities in your own life? What adjustments could you start to make this week to more fully orient your time and treasure to the worship of Jesus Christ? Read John 12:1-11 - Six days before the Passover, Jesus came to Bethany, where Lazarus lived, whom Jesus had raised from the dead. 2 Here a dinner was given in Jesus’ honor. Martha served, while Lazarus was among those reclining at the table with him. 3 Then Mary took about a pint of pure nard, an expensive perfume; she poured it on Jesus’ feet and wiped his feet with her hair. And the house was filled with the fragrance of the perfume. 4 But one of his disciples, Judas Iscariot, who was later to betray him, objected, 5 “Why wasn’t this perfume sold and the money given to the poor? It was worth a year’s wages.” 6 He did not say this because he cared about the poor but because he was a thief; as keeper of the money bag, he used to help himself to what was put into it. 7 “Leave her alone,” Jesus replied. “It was intended that she should save this perfume for the day of my burial. 8 You will always have the poor among you, but you will not always have me.” 9 Meanwhile a large crowd of Jews found out that Jesus was there and came, not only because of him but also to see Lazarus, whom he had raised from the dead. 10 So the chief priests made plans to kill Lazarus as well, 11 for on account of him many of the Jews were going over to Jesus and believing in him.
Opening Let's begin with a moment of silence, centering our minds, bodies, and hearts upon the Lord our God. Quote “When I consider the actual nature of compunction, I am amazed at how that which is called mourning and grief should contain joy and gladness interwoven within it like honey in the comb.” -St. John Climacus Reflection In the life of the church, Palm Sunday is a remarkably complex and multifaceted day. Unlike the elated crowds who welcome Christ with unhindered joy, unaware of the true nature of his entry, we observe this day with the reality of Christ’s passion in our minds and hearts. Yes, we cry our “Hosanna!” and welcome Christ as King, yet we are aware that this entry leads to Him willingly giving up His own life for the life of the world. Mourning and grief are interwoven with joy and gladness. As we reach the end of our season of repentance, we have hopefully grown in our awareness of the ever-present reality of evil in our world and in our hearts. There is always a need to repent, ways we have contributed to the darkness in our world and failed to live in the light, ways we have ignored the Lord’s call to return to him and instead plunged further into the mire of our passions. However, even within the deepest sadness, hope is to be found. We are never without the promise of joy and the hope of resurrection. Yes, the cries of Palm Sunday give way to the horror of Good Friday, yet the silence of Holy Saturday is overwhelmed by the victory and triumph of Easter Sunday. The events of Holy Week reveal to us the true nature of the universe itself: Christ is King. Self-giving love heals the world. Death gives way to life. And so, let us boldly enter the drama of Holy Week, aware of our sins yet more aware of the power of God at work in and through Jesus Christ, the “God who saves.” Prayer Almighty and ever-living God, in your tender love for the human race you sent your Son our Savior Jesus Christ to take upon Him our nature, and to suffer death upon the cross, giving us the example of His great humility. Mercifully grant that we may walk in the way of His suffering, and also share in His resurrection through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, forever and ever. Amen. (Book of Common Prayer, 1979) Reflective Practice Holy Week is an invitation to take church attendance seriously! Across all Christian traditions and customs, there are services throughout the week that invite us deeper into the events of Christ’s passion. Do all you can to clear your calendar this week and prioritize participation in these services, joining with the family of God in retelling the greatest story ever told. Read Matthew 21:1-11 - As they approached Jerusalem and came to Bethphage on the Mount of Olives, Jesus sent two disciples, 2 saying to them, “Go to the village ahead of you, and at once you will find a donkey tied there, with her colt by her. Untie them and bring them to me. 3 If anyone says anything to you, say that the Lord needs them, and he will send them right away.” 4 This took place to fulfill what was spoken through the prophet: 5 “Say to Daughter Zion, ‘See, your king comes to you, gentle and riding on a donkey, and on a colt, the foal of a donkey.’” 6 The disciples went and did as Jesus had instructed them. 7 They brought the donkey and the colt and placed their cloaks on them for Jesus to sit on. 8 A very large crowd spread their cloaks on the road, while others cut branches from the trees and spread them on the road. 9 The crowds that went ahead of him and those that followed shouted, “Hosanna to the Son of David!” “Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!” “Hosanna in the highest heaven!” 10 When Jesus entered Jerusalem, the whole city was stirred and asked, “Who is this?” 11 The crowds answered, “This is Jesus, the prophet from Nazareth in Galilee.”
