Holy Week

If any of you are Jews, Passover was I understand yesterday; I hope your holiday was satisfying. For Christians, of course today is Palm Sunday and the start of Holy Week. (If we have any Muslim readers, I note with surprise that Ramadan will also fall at nearly the same time this year, beginning on the 12th of April. A sacred spring for us all, this year.)

This is the occasion of one of my favorite stories from scripture. Probably I am guilty, like many, of focusing too much on the parts that appeal to me personally. I love the story of Jesus riding an unbroken colt, though. This is Luke 19:28-36:
28 After Jesus had said this, he went on ahead, going up to Jerusalem. 29 As he approached Bethphage and Bethany at the hill called the Mount of Olives, he sent two of his disciples, saying to them, 30 “Go to the village ahead of you, and as you enter it, you will find a colt tied there, which no one has ever ridden. Untie it and bring it here. 31 If anyone asks you, ‘Why are you untying it?’ say, ‘The Lord needs it.’ ” 32 Those who were sent ahead went and found it just as he had told them. 33 As they were untying the colt, its owners asked them, “Why are you untying the colt?” 34 They replied, “The Lord needs it.” 35 They brought it to Jesus, threw their cloaks on the colt and put Jesus on it. 36 As he went along, people spread their cloaks on the road. 

You try riding an unbroken colt sometime, and see if it's as easy as that for you.  

2 comments:

Anonymous said...

Eastern Orthodox Easter (Pascha) will be on May 2, because of the differences between the Julian and Gregorian calendars. I always have to check, because some years western Easter tracks very differently from Passover and Pascha.

The moveable feasts are sooooo confusing some years! :)

LittleRed1

Grim said...

I often forget that Easter is different for the Orthodox churches. It used to be for the Celtic Church, too, before it and Rome completed their alignment.

https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Celtic_Christianity#Easter_calculation