The Practice of ~ Entering the story and experiencing the passion
Today’s devotion is structured a little differently. Today we will spend our opening breath work listening and practicing contemplative prayer.
Four scriptures will be read, two times, with time between each reading for you to locate yourself in the Holy Week story. The scriptures will guide us from Palm Sunday, to Spy Wednesday, to Holy Thursday closing with Good Friday.
We will begin our devotion by asking the Holy Spirit to guide us into the Holy Week story in a new way. We will ask the Spirit to help us experience the passion of Jesus. An experience that grounds us in our faith and frees us to live as Easter people.
Palm Sunday ~ A different kind of King
Scripture ~ So the disciples went and did as Jesus commanded them. They brought the donkey and the colt, laid their clothes on them, and set Jesus on them. And a very great multitude spread their clothes on the road; others cut down branches from the trees and spread them on the road. Then the multitudes who went before and those who followed cried out, saying:
“Hosanna to the Son of David!
‘Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord!’
Hosanna in the highest!” Matthew 21:6-9
Spy Wednesday ~ Some traditions recognize this day as the day Judas made the bargain to betray Jesus. Spy Wednesday is a time to reflect on our own daily struggles.
Scripture ~ Then one of the twelve, whose name was Judas Iscariot, went to the chief priests and said, “What will you give me if I deliver Jesus over to you?” And they paid him thirty pieces of silver. And from that moment he sought an opportunity to betray Jesus . Matthew 26:14-16
Holy Thursday ~ Jesus demonstrates love, slave to none, free to serve. Mandate and grace.
Scripture ~ Now before the festival of the Passover, Jesus knew that his hour had come to depart from this world and go to the Father. Having loved his own who were in the world, he loved them to the end. The devil had already put it into the heart of Judas son of Simon Iscariot to betray him. And during supper Jesus, knowing that the Father had given all things into his hands, and that he had come from God and was going to God, got up from the table, took off his outer robe, and tied a towel around himself. Then he poured water into a basin and began to wash the disciples’ feet and to wipe them with the towel that was tied around him. John 13:1-5
Good Friday ~ Suffering and healing. To be read once in 3 parts.
Scripture ~
The place of betrayal…
After Jesus had spoken these words, he went out with his disciples across the Kidron valley to a place where there was a garden to pray.
The trial outcome…
So Jesus came out, wearing the crown of thorns and the purple robe. Pilate said to them, “Here is the man!” When the chief priests and the police saw him, they shouted, “Crucify him! Crucify him
The cross…
So they put a sponge full of the wine on a branch of hyssop and held it to his mouth. When Jesus had received the wine, he said, “It is finished.” Then he bowed his head and gave up his spirit. John 18 & 19
We close by taking what we need from this experience and letting go of the rest, knowing that Easter morning is coming!
