Holy (Week) Monday

It's been awhile since I've posted on my blog. Some of you have missed it and told me, others of you have missed it and just been disappointed. But thanks to all of you who have missed it. I, too, have missed writing and I decided that there's no better time to jump start it than Holy Week. So I pray you find it again and trust that there will be something to read in the days to come. Thanks for your patience and encouragement.

We don't know what happened on Holy Monday. It was a crazy week for Jesus, too. He hadn't made great friends in the Temple yesterday, either. It was later, after arriving on the donkey, that he turned over the tables of the merchants and money-changers. The week was filled with a lot of teaching, moving around, going to the temple, dinner at friends houses, preparing for Passover, lots of pilgrims coming into Jerusalem and it's outlying communities. It was a happening week for them too.
Maybe, though, Monday was a bit of a letdown from the "triumphal entry" into Jerusalem. Just maybe, Jesus spent the day in a much quieter setting, thinking about what had just happened yesterday, the cries of "Hosanna" still ringing in his ears, teaching his disciples just what those events had meant, or would mean in the future. Maybe it was a day of rest in preparation for what he know was coming in the next few days.

Anticipation of the rest of the week should be our focus. How are we going to most appropriately address the holiness of this week? Are we going to be fully present in the worship, with the Passion story, with Jesus? Today should be a day to ponder, to think, to look back on our lives and prepare for our responses the rest of the week. It's a day to confess our sins, our undesired behaviors and vow to change. (It's called repentance.) Sure we've been doing that all during Lent, but in case we have put it off, now is the time.

We cried "Hosanna" (Save us!) yesterday. Let's cry it again today, but instead of with our lips, make it the prayer of our hearts as we quiet ourselves to prepare for the rest of this Holy Week.

Peace ><>
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