Daily Reflection Tuesday of Holy Week

I always find Holy Week a rollercoaster of emotions. It is not like I don’t know what is going to happen this week and yet I find myself always wishing for a different outcome. I wish that Judas would realize what he is doing and have a change of heart. I wish Peter, impulsive, overprotective Peter would stay brave when Jesus needed him most. I wish the Apostles stayed awake in the garden, I wish, I wish, I wish… then I realized that sadly Judas needs to do what he did for us to receive the ultimate gift of love. I realize in Peter’s weakness my own fears. I realize the times, like the apostles, that I turn from prayer and think I can do things on my own. 

I often picture myself at the Last Supper. Sometimes I am serving Jesus and the twelve and other times I find myself sitting and hanging on every word Jesus says and then there are times I am a spectator from a far watching everything that is happening, and I feel saddened as I recognize all the times that I have done something to hurt my relationship with our Lord. The times I took his forgiveness and love for granted. Then in all this I hear Jesus say in verse thirty-six “Where I am going, you cannot follow me now, though you will follow me later.” That verse is where I find great Joy. Jesus is reassuring Peter and all of us that we will join him one day. 

That promise of following Jesus later, that promise freely given, surround in sacrifice and love is what gets me through Good Friday and into the Joy of Easter Sunday. 

During this holiest of weeks, enter into each gospel, sit with Jesus each day. Be present to him in prayer and let yourself experience the sorrows and joy that only this week can bring. Just as Jesus surrendered himself for us, let us surrender ourselves to him this week.