Palm Sunday

Just imagine for a moment yourself standing in the garden of Gethsamene where Jesus was arrested by the soldiers. Imagine as Judas enters the garden ready to betray Our Lord he looks into Jesus' eyes. He needs to know what's going in Jesus' mind. He needs to know if there is hatred in those eyes, but he finds only love. Straight away Jesus is tied up, arrested and dragged by the soldiers out of the garden. Where are his friends, the ones who said they'd stay by him no matter what. They've all fled, each one more concerned about his own skin. And then Jesus is brought before the High Priest in a mockery of a trial where he is spat on, smacked in the face, and beaten up. Yet if you were to look at those eyes again what do you think you would see? Hatred, the thirst for revenge, self-pity. But none of those things……only love is there, and it’s a love which grows stronger every minute.

Now imagine Jesus , after having been turned over to the Romans for execution, having to endure Pilate's weakness, being whipped to more than an inch of his life, crowned with thorns and generally treated like dirt. He's exhausted, his body is shaking with pain and shock and exhaustion. Has he given up now do you think? Has he lost all hope….no he knows that he must go on…..there is no turning back….love can be the hardest task master and its love that's driving him on now. All through his agonising walk to Calvary, his being nailed to the cross, humiliated in so many different ways, Jesus eyes may be weary but they are still full of love……a love which is prepared to make the ultimate sacrifice which even forgives those who are crucifying him.

This is the love that Jesus has for us. This is the love that we all treat so shabbily, that we ignore. We live our lives as though it never existed and yet the story of Our Lord's passion is the greatest love story ever told. Because of this we have become God's children and we have been saved from sin and ignorance and hell.

Today we are entering the most sacred week in the year. Are we just gong to treat it like any other week or are we going to try to keep company with Jesus, be with him as he shares his Last Supper with the Apostles, pray with him in the garden of Gethsemane, accompany him every step of the way through his trial, the carrying of the cross to Golgotha, keeping watch at the foot of the cross until we come together to celebrate the great feast of Christ's Resurrection on Easter Sunday. Whether we are able to attend the services or not we can be with Him because we remember that what he goes through is for the salvation of every one of us…for you and for me. We adore you O Christ and be bless you because by your holy cross you have redeemed the world.