Lent Week 6
This week is the last week of Lent, also known as Holy Week. During Holy Week, we remember Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem and his final days before he was killed. For the last six weeks, we have been reading passages of Scripture and praying for God to prepare our minds and hearts to commemorate Jesus’ death and resurrection on Easter Sunday.
Lent is a time to be aware of things holding us back from the abundant life God desires for us, and to renew our commitment in areas we’ve held back from him. Central to the idea of Lent is that we need God’s love to renew our whole lives, every single day.
This week, we are reading from John’s Gospel, reminding us of Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem while he was fully aware of his impending death. Yet in every step he takes to the cross, he takes in love for those he came to save.
Scripture
John 12:12-16 & 13:1
[The] great crowd that had come for the festival heard that Jesus was on his way to Jerusalem. They took palm branches and went out to meet him, shouting, ‘Hosanna!’ ‘Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!’ ‘Blessed is the king of Israel!’
Jesus found a young donkey and sat upon it, as it is written: ‘Do not be afraid, Daughter Zion; see, your king is coming, seated on a donkey’s colt.’ At first his disciples did not understand all this. Only after Jesus was glorified did they realise that these things had been written about him and that these things had been done to him…
It was just before the Passover Festival. Jesus knew that the hour had come for him to leave this world and go to the Father. Having loved his own who were in the world, he loved them to the end.
Prayer
God my Father,
Who in your tender love towards humanity
sent your Son to become human himself,
and to suffer death upon the cross.
Help me follow the example of his patience and humility,
and to be part of his resurrection life.
Lord Jesus Christ,
my true and humble king,
hailed by the crowd as Messiah:
grant me the faith to know you and love you,
that I may be found beside you
on the way of the cross,
which is the path of glory.
In love you humbled yourself
taking the form of a servant,
and in obedience died on the cross for my salvation.
Holy Spirit,
Give me the mind to follow Jesus
and to proclaim him as Lord and King,
to the glory of God the Father.
Amen