Guided Reflection:

This begins what we call “holy week”… Jesus enters Jerusalem and neither he nor the rest of the world will ever be the same. All of his disciples – a multitude of disciples, Luke calls them – felt the air of excitement. The city is ready for a holiday; the Romans have beefed up security; the temple taxes are sky high; the people need hope, they need the Messiah! Jesus is riding into town like a king, ready to overthrow the political and religious leaders of the day… or so it seems. In just a few days, Jesus is going to dash those hopes because their hopes were too small. With what part of this Palm Sunday parade do you most identify?

Guided prayer:

“I understand the hopes of the people for someone to take them out of their current messes. O God, most of my prayers are really “help me, God!” prayers, but help me to trust your plan over my own desires. More than anything, I desire your will in my life. Amen”