Palm Sunday

Today we begin the special journey of Holy Week as we wave our palms, joyfully acclaiming Jesus our Messiah and King!

Our Palm Sunday procession, commemorating Jesus' journey into Jerusalem, marks the beginning of a solemn celebration in union with the whole Church throughout the world.

As we participated in today's Gospel reading (Mark, Chapters 14 & 15) reading aloud with the congregation, "Crucify him!" I remembered how painful it was to read/hear this gospel as a child. I didn't want to crucify Jesus! And I didn't want to participate in the reading of the passion... it didn't seem fair!

Yet as a Christian community we enter fully into Christ's passion and death, leading us through His suffering and sacrifice toward His resurrection at Easter. Our own suffering, or sacrifices have the power to bring us closer to Christ and unite us with His suffering... if we let them.

Father encouraged us to take time this week to slow down and allow our hearts and minds to be transformed. While we can read obituaries of strangers and simply turn the page and go on to the next item, Father reminded us that reading Jesus' obituary should be a much different experience for us... if we let it.