Will You Walk with Jesus?

April 10, 2022

 

The Liturgy of the Palms

Luke 19:28-40 | Psalm 118:1-2, 19-29

The Liturgy of the Word

Isaiah 50:4-9a | Philippians 2:5-11 | Luke 22:14-23:56 or Luke 23:1-49 | Psalm 31:9-16

Sunday of the Passion – Palm Sunday 

So it begins. Our walk with Jesus through the holiest week of the year takes us from Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem where onlookers cry, “Blessed is the king who comes in the name of the Lord!” to his horrific death on the cross. We call it ‘Passion’ because this week evokes such strong emotions as we move from shouted hosannas to the silence of his borrowed tomb. Jesus was cheered, betrayed, captured, accused, forsaken, scourged, abandoned, crucified, and buried in secret. The word ‘Passion” as derived from the Latin also means suffering and Jesus certainly did. And we know that if we allow ourselves to walk this way with Jesus, we cannot help but be drawn into the passion of it.  

But there is more! Our journey with Jesus through Holy Week allows us to sit at table with Jesus as he blesses bread and wine and shares it with his disciples to establish a new covenant for all of us. We can follow Jesus’ example to be servants to all as we wash the feet of those we are to serve. We can wait with the disciples on the Mount of Olives as Jesus prays to be freed from what is to come, yet vows to do God’s will. And, finally, we can follow Jesus to Golgotha where he is crucified as we watch and weep at the foot of the cross. 

This can only happen if we are willing to participate and experience the passion of this week as we walk with Jesus on the way of the cross.  

The choice is ours. Will you walk with Jesus this week? 

Betsy Fornal