Lent: Prayerful and Intentional

From crowds chanting and cheering, "Hosanna"

To a table littered with crumbs of bread and drops of wine

To a cross we can hardly stand to look upon

To a still, small, even silent sigh on Saturday

To glad, glorious, gusto-filled shouts of "Alleluia"

What a week God.

Let the full meaning of Hosanna, 

which means save us

redeem us

restore us

wash over us this week.

Let the full meaning of Maundy

which means commandment

mandate

mandatory

love that is with us and for us

wash over us this week.

Let the full meaning of Atonement

which means at-one-meant

You with us always even in the valley of the shadow of death.

You for us even when we say boneheaded things and

Do the very thing we did NOT want to do.

Let the full meaning of the ancient wisdom,

"God's first language is silence"

wash over us this week.

We call this week, Holy...

Set apart.

Not compartmentalized as though this week does not have any truth to speak to us.

We know about betrayal in our lives...we went through middle school.

We know about desertion in our lives...when we felt down and out.

We know about denial in our lives...as we try to numb the pain with our addictions of choice.

Help us this week know that You are Holy even in our sometimes messy lives.

Help us this week experience Your grace.

Because if it is true here and now, this week.

It can be true then and there, every week.

So that every week can be Holy.

Amen.