Dear Saints in Santa Fe and other far-off places,
Greetings in the name of Jesus Christ, who is leading us through Holy Week.
While the world seems fixated today on New York City and the arraignment of a former President, Jesus is in Jerusalem confronting the powers and principalities of the world.
It is far too easy, and done without much thought, to jump directly from the excitement of Palm Sunday (though what a beautiful day on the Plaza as we gathered with the Cathedral Basilica and Church of the Holy Faith!) to the joy of Easter. Rather, we are called to follow Jesus, day by day, not look away, and stay close.
I am trained as a spiritual director having spent two years in Cleveland studying Ignatian spirituality that was developed in the 16th century by Ignatius of Loyola, the founder of the Jesuits. One practice I have found most helpful is called Ignatian Contemplation where we listen to a biblical story with our eyes closed and our imaginations wide open. What do we see, hear, taste, smell, and feel? Here there is no analysis. Here no theologians are allowed to interpret a story for us. Here it’s just us and the story where God’s spirit is at work.
We would do well for Ignatian Contemplation to accompany us this week as we see the withered fig tree, hear the Scribes and Pharisees connive, taste the Last Supper, smell the Garden of Gethsemane, and feel the emotions of the crowd at Jesus’ trial.
Note: Take special care on Thursday when the disciples all fall asleep in the garden after supper. This is the crucial moment in Ignatian spiritual direction, as it is in our own journey with Jesus to the cross: Do we fall asleep and fall away as the disciples did, or do we follow Jesus to the cross? Only by following, and only then, does resurrection and new life happen. Only then.
Oh, we love a parade and look forward to bunnies and chocolates but it’s all a bit hollow if we don’t experience the depths of these holy days in between.
They are not light nor fun-filled. They don’t arrive by motorcade. They don’t shout at us to look. They don’t make it on the news. They simply and profoundly lead us forward where death will eventually succumb to life. May it be so. May it be so.
Grace and peace,
Harry