Holy Week. Holy! What a week already.

I opened up the newspaper this morning to see that the beginning of Holy Week has started off with a bang ….( and a stabbing and many other attacks.) 

Like you, I am saddened by this constant terrible news to the point where I want to bury my head in the ….snow...and pretend I don’t know.

But I do.

I always joke that my prayer list looks like Santa’s giant ‘Naughty and Nice List’ and that ,if it was physical, it would unravel onto the floor and continue out the door. SO much to pray for.

Yesterday was Palm Sunday and sadly for us, another year of missing out on in-person mass. Terry was able to go to a ‘drive by blessed palm pick up’ though ,which is better than last year when we didn’t even have the options of picking up our palms.

My friend, Rosemary, told me about placing the palms behind your crucifix so that they would be a constant reminder of welcoming Jesus……(like when people waved their palms in welcome as he rode into the city on a donkey and his followers spread palm branches at his feet and called him "Hosanna" or "savior." Palm branches were considered symbols of victory and triumph at the time.

 Days later, the people of Jerusalem would turn on Jesus and demand the Romans crucify him.) And as foretold , Jesus rose on the third day and gave us a real reason to celebrate.

I try to remember this glorious, incredible mystery and miracle and the entire reason for our faith. Because without the resurrection … what are we celebrating? 

So I can still read this distressing news and know that we have someone who loves us ,knows about and cares about all our troubles and anxieties. He himself suffered unimaginable pain and loved us enough to take human form and willingly choose his death on a cross for our sakes.. For our redemption.

And man ! Do we need redeeming! 

Peace.