Matt. 21:1-11, Isaiah 50:4-7, Psalm 22, Philippians 2:6-11, Matt. 26:14-27:66

Welcome to Holy Week! We pray that our Holy Family meditations have enriched your Lenten journey and helped you grow closer to Christ. Our fellow parishioners’ witnesses to Christ’s action in their lives shows how God’s word is powerfully alive. We have seen how encountering Christ not only transformed those in the Gospel stories but continues to radically transform our lives. We hope that these personal meditations have touched your heart, helped build community, and drawn you more deeply into the Gospel messages.  
 
As we make this final push to Easter, we invite you to exercise your imagination to participate in the drama of Holy Week where Jesus seeks you, His beloved disciple. Using imagination in prayer is a gift of our Catholic Tradition that dates back many centuries. St. Ignatius of Loyola was convinced that God can speak to us through our imagination just as He does through our thoughts and memories. In his Spiritual Exercises, he teaches how to use imagination to engage the heart and mind while praying through scripture. Using imaginative prayer allows the Holy Spirit to make present a mystery of Jesus’ life in a way that is meaningful to you now so that God may communicate in a personal, evocative way. This week, we invite you to engage your imagination in prayer to journey with Jesus to Calvary.
 
Palm Sunday Mass is the perfect setting to begin to experience imaginative prayer. The liturgy is set up so that we may participate in the events of Jesus’ Passion. Before we enter the sanctuary, we receive palms so that we can imagine ourselves there with the crowd who welcomes Jesus into Jerusalem. In the gospel narrative, we respond as part of the crowd as if we are there as well. As you slowly and prayerfully read through the gospel narrative, open your imagination, and allow God to lead you into deeper contemplation. God desires to speak to you in that place and draw you into a more profound awareness of Jesus’ saving love for you. Below you will find some examples of how to use imaginative prayer to meditate on the scripture reading, place yourself in the scene, and ponder how God is speaking to you.
 
Welcoming Jesus into Jerusalem
 
Perhaps hold your Sunday palm branch as you imagine yourself there with the crowd who welcomes Jesus into Jerusalem. Can you see in your mind’s eye what it was like that day? Perhaps orangish dust rose from the hot road as people lined up and began spreading their cloaks on the ground? Mothers with scarves wrapped around their heads hold children on their hips as they cry out, “Hosanna in the highest!” The smell of sweat and mid-day heat hangs in the air as you jostle shoulder to shoulder with others trying to inch closer for a clear view of the Messiah. People fan palm branches around you creating a brief breeze, and a frond brushes your cheek. Gritty dirt clings to your feet and legs. You see one of Jesus’ disciples lead a small donkey through the crowd. Later, you hear the swell of the crowd’s roar and look up to see Him, seated on the donkey, His eyes downcast. Despite the crowd, the heat, and a heavy heart, Jesus maintains a serene and composed expression. Suddenly, He looks up and sees you there in the crowd and His glance pierces your soul. Allow yourself to feel His penetrating gaze. What is He speaking to your heart?
 
The Last Supper
 
You follow Jesus to the Last Supper because you too are His chosen disciple. The sky still holds the pink and orange golden glow of sunset. Do you feel the lingering warmth of the hot Mediterranean day? While climbing the steps to the upper room, can you smell the scent of roasted meat mixed with spices and the pungent aroma of uncorked wine? Allow yourself to listen to the voices of families and friends emanating from the open windows of nearby homes gently talking and laughing as they gather for a meal. As you enter the upper room, notice where the disciples are sitting. What are they wearing? Are their feet washed and clean? Watch as Jesus breaks the bread. Do crumbs fall to the table? See Him pour the wine and take in its fruity scent as it infuses the room. Listen to the disciples talk. Notice their expressions and the tones of their voices. Listen as He says the words “this is my body; this is my blood.” What is He speaking to your heart?
 
This Holy Week, allow God to use your imaginative power to show you what it was like to follow Jesus to Calvary. Open your heart and welcome the Lord’s love and inspiration. Our meditations this week will assist this process.  As you contemplate the Passion this week, continue to ask, “How is Jesus speaking to my heart?" God eagerly desires to meet you in prayer and show you His love.

The Reflection Team is excited to share the gospel stories with you in a unique way this week. May you find your journey with Christ during this Holy Week to be deeper and more powerful than any you've had before. The Holy Spirit is moving, and He wants us to not simply be a bystander, but to be a part of salvation history as it unfolds. Don't be afraid to step into the Scriptures this week.