Thoughts for the Day

When they had come near Jerusalem and had reached Bethphage, at the Mount of Olives, Jesus sent two disciples, saying to them, ‘Go into the village ahead of you, and immediately you will find a donkey tied, and a colt with her; untie them and bring them to me. If anyone says anything to you, just say this, “The Lord needs them.” And he will send them immediately. This took place to fulfil what had been spoken through the prophet, saying: ‘Tell the daughter of Zion, Look, your king is coming to you, humble, and mounted on a donkey, and on a colt, the foal of a donkey.’

The disciples went and did as Jesus had directed them; they brought the donkey and the colt, and put their cloaks on them, and he sat on them. A very large crowd spread their cloaks on the road, and others cut branches from the trees and spread them on the road. The crowds that went ahead of him and that followed were shouting,

‘Hosanna to the Son of David!
Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord!
Hosanna in the highest heaven!’

When he entered Jerusalem, the whole city was in turmoil, asking, ‘Who is this?’ The crowds were saying, ‘This is the prophet Jesus from Nazareth in Galilee.’

(Lectionary, New Revised Standard Version)

Thoughts

Most schools have broken up for the Easter holidays before Palm Sunday, and often we don't to church during the week that follows. But we are an Easter people, not a Christmas people, so what do we miss? Here are some of the events.

• Palm Sunday - Jesus enters Jerusalem (see reading above); he looks round Temple and returns to Bethany (Mark 11.11)
• Monday - Jesus curses the fig tree (Matthew 21.18-22); he cleanses the Temple (Luke 19.45-46).
• Tuesday - Religious leaders 'ambush' Jesus (Matthew 22.23-33); Judas meets with the Sanhedrin (Matthew 26.14-16).
• Wednesday - possibly a day of rest.
• Thursday - Jesus washes the disciples feet (John 13.2-17); he celebrates the Passover and introduces the Last Supper (Luke 22.14-20); he prays in the Garden of Gethsemane (Luke 22.39-45); he is betrayed by Judas, arrested by the Temple guards, taken to the house of Caiaphas the High Priest, and denied by Peter (Luke 22.47-62).
• Friday - Judas hangs himself (Matthew 27.3-10); Jesus is sent to Pilate, then Herod, and back to Pilate (Luke 23.1-12); Jesus is sentenced to death, crucified, and his body buried in a tomb (Luke 23.13-53).
• Saturday - Jesus' burial site is guarded by Roman soldiers (Matthew 27.62-66).
• Easter Day - The Resurrection of Jesus Christ. (John 20.1-18).

You might like to read the relevant portion of scripture for each day, above, as you go through Holy Week.

Lord Jesus Christ
You were welcomed into Jerusalem
as the Messiah, the King of kings,
at the beginning of Your
last week alive as a man,
while all around You others
plotted and planned Your downfall.
May we look again at these stories
and realise their significance
to us as Christians.
Amen.