The church rehearses the final days of Jesus’ life during Holy Week. We begin the journey Palm/Passion Sunday on April 13. The dual title recognizes the twin realities of Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem and Christ’s agonizing death at Golgotha.

Christians experience the extremes of the human condition during this holiest of weeks:

• Palm Sunday               Passion Sunday
• A parade                     A death march
• Palms                          Nails
• Cries of Hosanna!       Cries of Crucify him!
• Laughter                     Tears
• Celebration                 Grief
• Life                             Death 

Many believers skip from Palm Sunday to Easter Sunday, from palms to lilies, from celebration to celebration, skipping the days that separate the two Sundays. They fail to witness the unimaginable height, width, and depth of divine love.

Christians are called to follow in the footsteps of Jesus during Holy Week. We walk the Via Dolorosa—The Way of Suffering—that leads to Golgotha.

Let us go to the foot of the cross . . . and beyond.