Hello Grace UMC!

Holy week is upon us, and we find ourselves at the midpoint between the shouts of “Hosanna!” from last Sunday and the shouts of “Crucify Him!” that will be sent from the crowds on Friday. Much of the gospel narratives have Jesus cleansing the temple and flipping tables, teaching and having his authority questioned, and Judas Iscariot plotting his betrayal of Jesus. In Matthew’s gospel, Jesus is going toe-to-toe with the group of scribes and Pharisees who are seeking his arrest and death. So much leads to the moment of his arrest, and I encourage you to meditate upon those moments. It’s easy from our perspective to look on and say, “How could they do this to Jesus?” Consider what it might have been like to see it happen in-person. Would you have trusted this radical prophet who formed a whip in the temple and called himself the Son of God? Are you buying into his message of peace over power that ultimately leads to his demise? Take time to pray, meditate, study, and reflect during this holiest of weeks.