At Palm Sunday mass, the gospel we hear on Jesus’ passion is always powerful and profound. Even though we’ve all heard it countless times, hopefully there is something that catches your attention, strikes you in a new way, or causes you to reflect. Jesus tells Peter, James, and John, “Remain here and keep watch with me” (Matthew 26:38). Will we too stay with Jesus and accompany Him throughout this Holy Week?
When the people in our lives who we love and care about ask us to do something for them, I think most of us would not hesitate to do whatever it is they are asking. Is it the same when Jesus asks us to do something? Jesus’s command to His disciples in the Garden of Gethsamane is an invitation to all of us. Jesus has been with us from the beginning, walking with us, supporting us, carrying us. How will we respond to that love, especially in the most significant week of the year as Catholic Christians?
It is easy to become distracted, to find ourselves too busy. How often do we live our lives spiritually asleep? How often do we allow spiritual laziness to seep into our lives? Jesus calls us to overcome the temptation to fall asleep, and to overcome the weakness of the flesh. Jesus never leaves us, so we too must never leave Him.
Throughout this Holy Week, we must fully enter in and walk closely with Jesus in His journey to the cross. This week, the Church offers us the opportunity to participate in moving liturgies, reflecting on all that Jesus did for us. This week gives us the opportunity to pray more, reflect often, and to have our hearts transformed by Christ’s sacrifice.
Will we remain with Jesus and keep watch with Him? Giving our time, spending it with Jesus in prayer, is the least we can do for the One who gave us everything. My prayer for each of us this week is that we can remain close to Jesus, watching and praying with Him.
Faith and The Good Stuff 