John 12:13

Holy Week is a time when we remember afresh the Cross of Christ and His resurrection.

The Scripture tells us that as Jesus rode into Jerusalem, the people took palm branches and went out to meet him, shouting, Hosanna! Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord! Blessed is the King of Israel. (John 12:13)
Jesus riding in to Jerusalem was an important event as it was a public declaration of Jesus claiming to be Messiah and King. Yet the message of Palm Sunday would be meaningless if we separate it from the whole story of the Passion Week – a period where Jesus modelled total obedience to the Father’s will. What resulted was intense suffering and death of Jesus on Good Friday. But that’s not the end of the story. On Easter Sunday, the tomb was empty and the resurrection took place.

Hosanna! Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord! Blessed is the King of Israel. (John 12:13)

Indeed, Holy Week is a time when we remember afresh the Cross of Christ and His resurrection. The hope of salvation affirmed and the realization of new life.
Nevertheless, it is important to realize that the disciples (up till that time) had not fully grasp the mission of Jesus. They did not take seriously when Jesus told them that he will rise from the dead. They also could not understand that “unless a grain of wheat falls into the earth and dies, it remains alone; but if it dies, it bears much fruit” (John 12:24).
This week let us take this opportunity to ponder afresh the Cross and the Resurrection of Christ and all that He taught concerning them. Today we live in a world full of hate, human pride, self-seeking greed, ruthless competition, destructive consumerism, of immorality in private lives and widespread ills in public lives.
As a church, let us reflect on “How can a new life be born in the world and community that we live in?”