Holy Week Reflection #1

Today is the beginning of Holy Week and it begins with the celebration of Palm Sunday.

Matthew 21:1-11 When Jesus and his disciples had come near Jerusalem and had reached Bethphage, at the Mount of Olives, Jesus sent two disciples, saying to them, “Go into the village ahead of you, and immediately you will find a donkey tied, and a colt with her; untie them and bring them to me. If anyone says anything to you, just say this, `The Lord needs them.’ And he will send them immediately.” This took place to fulfil what had been spoken through the prophet, saying, “Tell the daughter of Zion, Look, your king is coming to you, humble, and mounted on a donkey, and on a colt, the foal of a donkey.”

The disciples went and did as Jesus had directed them; they brought the donkey and the colt, and put their cloaks on them, and he sat on them. A very large crowd spread their cloaks on the road, and others cut branches from the trees and spread them on the road. The crowds that went ahead of him and that followed were shouting, “Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest heaven!” When he entered Jerusalem, the whole city was in turmoil, asking, “Who is this?” The crowds were saying, “This is the prophet Jesus from Nazareth in Galilee.”

 It was worth celebrating, it was a victory and in the best of Jewish traditions the victors entered the city and crowds roared, the palms were waved and set at the feet of those who came.

So Jesus rode on a donkey into Jerusalem, his journey on that donkey shows us this amazingly humility, this humble and obedient attitude to the Father, even as he was preparing for the cross, preparing for a most painful death.

And as we prepare for journey to the cross, for Holy Communion maybe we can reflect and share in Christ’s humility.

Can we ride alongside with this humble and obedient servant or are we simply consuming Christ as if standing in line for some sort of spiritual McBurger bar?

How can we best prepare for receiving the body and blood of Christ? Maybe we can start by just pausing; if we can just stop for the briefest minute and contemplate communion then we are taking time out of our hectic 24/7 lives.

It is a chance to humbly review our lives, our ambitions, our trials and tribulations and of course our sin. It is a time for confession, but not heartache. Confession is not a hindrance nor is it a burden; it is a release a chance to wipe the slate clean.

So let’s spend a few moments reflecting with humility on our journey ahead as we prepare to take communion.