Jesus made his entrance into Jerusalem on a colt. He was greeted with a pathway adorned with cloaks of all colors and a gateway of palms being raised above his head. His followers proclaimed, “”Blessed is the king who comes in the name of the Lord. Peace in heaven and glory in the highest.”

More than ever this year, I am moved by the Palm Sunday story. Jesus knew what his journey into Jerusalem entailed for him. Jesus knew that his journey once in Jerusalem would be full of trials, insults, and hurts. I am amazed that Jesus, a human, still decided to go on this journey. As he rode atop the colt, listened to the colts clopping feet, and embraced the shouts of joy from his disciples, what was Jesus thinking as he made his way through the crowd? Was he afraid? Was he fearful? How did he muster the courage to make the journey into Jerusalem? How did he lift one foot in front of the other towards his Good Friday? 

As we enter Holy Week, I invite each of us to fully embrace the journey that Jesus went through.  I invite you to listen to this song from Selah titled “Draw me, Lord” and pray to be drawn into Holy Week and drawn to Jesus’ experience of the Paschal Mystery.

I pray for us:
Draw us, Lord, into this Holy Week.
Draw us, Lord, into your journey into Jerusalem.
Draw us, Lord, into your experience of the Paschal Mystery.

Draw us, Lord, into a relationship with your Father that roots us as firmly as your were in Your Father’s love.
Will I allow myself to be drawn into Holy Week?
Will I allow myself to be drawn to a deeper understanding of Jesus’ life this week?
 

Becky Eldredge

Becky is an Ignatian-trained spiritual director, retreat facilitator, and writer. She is the author of the Busy Lives and Restless Souls (March 2017, Loyola Press) and The Inner Chapel (April 2020, Loyola Press). She helps others create space to connect faith and everyday life through facilitating retreats and days of reflection, through writing, and through spiritual direction. With nearly twenty years of ministry experience within the Catholic Church, Becky seeks to help others discover God at work in the every day moments of people’s lives by utilizing St. Ignatius’ Spiritual Exercises and the many gifts that our Catholic faith and Ignatian Spirituality provide.