Slowing Down

Written by Andrew Zak on Monday of Holy Week

Yesterday we celebrated Palm Sunday. At the beginning of Mass we were singing Hosanna’s and proclaiming Jesus as our king. And less than 10 minutes later, we heard how he was betrayed by Judas, denied by Peter, falsely accused and sentenced, forced to carry a cross, and put to death. In the longest Gospel reading of the year, one great irony is that everything in the life of Jesus seems to happen so fast at this time. In less than 24 hours Jesus goes from sharing a meal with his disciples to sharing Himself totally for us. And so much in between.

How do we even begin to contemplate all that has taken place?

Stop. Breathe. And for a moment, just be.

There is a lot to take in, especially from the Gospel we just heard yesterday. While Palm Sunday may be a shock to our system in some sense, it quickly puts Holy Week in perspective. But in the coming days, we will experience these same events again, only this time a bit more slowly during the Triduum. So what’s in these first few days of Holy Week, in the “calm before the storm” if you will?

Perhaps it’s a chance to catch our breath. To bring our Lenten preparation to a culmination. To begin our journey with Jesus through His suffering, through His dying, and through His rising.

On this Monday of Holy Week, let us ask God for the grace to enter more deeply into His saving act of merciful love.

Questions for Reflection:
Where am I on my personal journey with Jesus at the start of Holy Week?
How can I be open to receiving God’s love and mercy this week?

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Andrew Zak
Andrew graduated with his Bachelor’s (2014) and Master’s (2015) Degrees in Chemical Engineering from Cleveland State University. He moved to Ann Arbor in the fall of last year to start his PhD in Chemical Engineering at U of M. Andrew enjoys being actively involved at Saint Mary’s as a catechist and sharing great food and conversation with the Grad Student & Young Professional group. When he’s not in the lab or at Saint Mary’s, he can likely be found on the basketball court.
Email: azak43@gmail.com