The celebration of Palm Sunday and the Proclamation of the Passion opens Holy Week for us. These are the High Holy Days for us as we move toward the conclusion of Lent and the celebration of the Easter Triduum with Holy Thursday, Good Friday, the Great Easter Vigil and the Great Feast of Easter. Through the waters of Baptism, one journey ends and a new one begins as we now move toward the great mission of Pentecost.
 
Since these are our high holy days, these days should be different for us, a time to enter deeply into prayer. One of the practices I do each year is to take characters from the Passion Narrative and place myself in their shoes. I ask myself when have I been as faithful as Mary, the Mother of Jesus and Mary Magdalene, willing to follow Jesus even to the end?  When have I promised to stay with the Lord, but denied him as Peter did? When have I let fear overcome me and run away as the other disciples did? When have I been like John the apostle and embraced fully what the Lord has entrusted to me? How will I rise with Jesus to a new life as a better disciple?
 
This year, we will welcome three candidates to full communion with the Church. Please hold Diane, Kelly and Jim in your hearts and prayers as they prepare for Confirmation and Eucharist. Let us also pray for each other that we might have a sacred and fulfilling Holy Week. The Passion Narrative reminds us that we have a God who is passionately and unconditionally in love with his people. He gave his only Son for us. May we grow in our passionate love for God and each other. May this be a week of blessings for us all.
 
 
Just a note:  People often ask, “when does Lent officially end?’ According to the Ordo, Lent officially ends with evening prayer on Holy Thursday. The Easter Triduum officially begins with the Mass of the Lord’s Supper which is why the Gloria is sung. Our fast and abstinence on Good Friday are a Paschal Fast in preparation for the Paschal Feast of Easter. Each of us has our own devotions for these days, so these practices should be focused on the three holiest days of our faith, in which we celebrate the institution of the Eucharist, the Passion and Death of Jesus and the Resurrection of the Lord.