The Rest of the Week

April 4, 2009
Palm Sunday
Cycle B

It’s funny the difference a few days can make.

Today we are here remembering and celebrating Jesus’ triumphal entrance into Jerusalem, when the people welcomed him into the city, hailing him as their king, the messiah, and waving palm branches before him. Today is the beginning of Holy Week, a week that we have been looking forward to for the past four weeks. We have been preparing throughout Lent for the great celebrations of the Triduum, the three days of Holy Thursday, Good Friday, and Holy Saturday. These are our holiest of days, our most sacred liturgy. We have run the good race, and now the finish line is in sight.

But what of the other three days of Holy Week? What of Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday? It seems that there’s a gap in our worship and devotion. We gather with excitement today, just like the people of Jerusalem did so many years ago, then we gather again for the Mass of the Lord’s Supper on Thursday. Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday seem to be forgotten. What are we supposed to do on those days?

What did Jesus do on those days? According to Matthew, Mark and Luke, Jesus was very busy from the time of his entrance into Jerusalem until his exit later that week carrying his cross to Golgotha. He drove the moneychangers from the temple. He gave some of his most famous teachings and told some of his most special parables in the temple precincts. He was symbolically anointed for burial when the sinful woman washed his feet with her tears and dried them with her hair. He did and said a lot of things that upset a lot of important people. Those same people who had hailed him as their king eventually cried out for his crucifixion.

What do we do on Monday, Tuesday, and Wednesday of Holy Week to make a difference? Do we also stir things up in our lives? Do we drive the moneychangers from our hearts with special works of charity? Do we take the time each day to ponder the meaning of Jesus’ words in the gospels? Do we make one last act of contrition for the times we’ve failed to live up to our discipleship? Or will Thursday night suddenly arrive, and we’ll have to rush home from work and switch gears to prepare ourselves mentally and spiritually to celebrate that most special of nights? How will we arrive at the Mass of the Lord’s Supper on Thursday? Will we be prepared to be footwashers? Will our celebration on Thursday lead us deeper into the paschal mystery of Jesus’ suffering and death that we’ll enter into on Good Friday? Will Good Friday prepare us for the glory of the Easter Vigil on Saturday? It would be a shame to have spent the past forty days of Lent so well, only to stumble at the finish line.

It’s funny the difference a few days should make.