A Holy Week Meditation

 

Palm Sunday, and the crowd goes wild! They welcome Jesus as Messiah as we often do, hearing about Salvation and Eternal Life and the promises of God in our own lives. Then Monday comes. No kingdom. Tuesday the same. By Friday, the crowd is disappointed and shouting, "Crucify him!" 

In our times, Monday for many people, is the rules that have come down to us.  No sex, no lying, no swearing, you get the picture. Tuesday can come around with the collection plate. Sunday after Sunday, the giving doesn't stop, and does it help anyone or just take money out of your pocket? By Wednesday, rules and charity can have some on their nerves end. The celebrations year after year of Christmas festival and Easter and still no kingdom. Still no miraculous gifts. Still so little faith.

One too many Passover reenactments and one too many Good Friday observance and Christ may seem long dead if ever he existed more than a Jewish folk-hero fable for first-century Jews. You may not shout crucify him, but bit by bit, life wears away the early Palm Sunday joy to a regular observed routine ritual passing the year. One may even wonder, is the hope of eternal life worth the observances?

Bear your cross... The times change, and the reality of a life of little faith until one's personal Resurrection and your joy may decrease to observances or worse, a complete loss of faith and exit from the church. That is the cross borne by those whose faith does not grow to a mustard tree by the regular experience of the divine in their life and hearing of the word by which comes faith. When one does not regularly read how Israel fell from following God again and again, even when shown great signs, you may wonder why your life is not full of miracles.

Whether you have no faith, little faith, or faith that can move mountains, the promise of Salvation and the gift of eternal life are for you. God wants everyone saved and knows it is not easy to believe year after year. So pray. Ask him to help you remember him and his plan for you. Do not be afraid you will be a burden. He already bore a cross for you too!