Dear Lord:
Here we go, another year, another Palm Sunday and Holy Week. We know the script – Entrance into Jerusalem, donkey, Hosannas and palm waiving crowds, Last Supper, washing of the feet, agony in the garden, Judas’ kiss, Peter’s denial, Sanhedrin and Pilate, scourging at the pillar, crown of thorns, shouts of “crucify him!” Barabbas, carrying the cross, nails, piercing with the lance, death, burial, empty tomb, Easter egg hunt, chocolate bunnies, and ham dinner. Same as last year.
This year, please God, help us to make it different. Help us enter this holiest of weeks and not go on autopilot. Help us to slow down, stop and pause, and really spend time with you. Dear Jesus, you came to this most holy of weeks consumed with a passionate love for your heavenly Father and for us. Every step you took was with us in mind. Every step you took brought you closer to the cross and brought salvation closer to us. What did it feel like to hear the crowds, Jesus? Were you encouraged that people were finally catching on or did you see that their faith was frail and shallow, and they would turn against you? Is that how you see us too? This week Lord, help us walk with you. Help us not to get ahead of ourselves or fall too far behind.
Oh, loving Jesus, this Holy Week, turn our lukewarm hearts into hearts on fire with love for you. Inflame the fire of our love to burn away our many imperfections and temptations. Let the fire of your love purify us so that we can love what you love and suffer all things for the love of you.
Jesus, as we journey with you during this Holy Week and for the rest of our lives, keep us close to you as you are always close to us. Strengthen our faith and calm our fears. Give us the courage to let go and to cast away all doubt and fear. Help us not be afraid or embarrassed to believe in you. Make us true disciples and not just fans or spectators. Increase our faith so that we can see you in all the parts of our lives. Deepen our faith so that we will allow you into all the parts of our lives. Enrich our faith so that we will know that we need nothing but you and your love.
Dear Jesus, this is the week when you gave us yourself in the Sacrament of the Eucharist. Help us love you more and more in the Mass. Let the Holy Mass be the greatest moment of our week, every week. Help us to never place anything before you that will keep us from offering you our love in the Holy Mass and receiving your love for us in the gift of the Eucharist. Give us the gift of true awe and wonder for your precious Body and Blood. Let us hunger only for you and let the hunger of our souls only be filled by you.
Oh, merciful Jesus, allow us the grace to feel as you felt on the cross; an overwhelming, heart-pounding, love. Help us love you by being truly sorry for our pettiness and selfishness. By your suffering, help us feel in the depths of our hearts true sorrow for all our sins, our pride, and impatience. Forgive us for our laziness and for being so nonchalant about so many important things. Give us the gift of a true compunction and contrition for our sinfulness. Lord Jesus, as you died on the cross, help us to die daily to ourselves and to sin and pride and to all that keeps us from loving you.
Dear God, be with us this week, and let us be with you. Please, help us to make this Holy Week truly holy. Lead us to the joy of the Resurrection. May we exalt with the greatest joy that Your Son has conquered the grave for us! Make our joy contagious so that all people may come to know the love you offer them and the victory that is ours in Jesus, risen from the tomb! Amen.