Journey Through Holy Week With the Archbishop of CanterburySample

Welcome to the first day of our devotional series throughout Holy Week.

What comes to mind when you think of Palm Sunday? Many of us will picture palm branches and a donkey, cries of ‘Hosanna’ as Jesus rides into Jerusalem. It can sometimes feel like a strangely ‘upbeat’ moment in the season of Lent, at the beginning of the week leading to Jesus’ death on the cross - what we call Holy Week.

But, if we stop reading there, we miss a key moment in this story. In his gospel account, Luke writes of Jesus:

As he approached Jerusalem and saw the city, he wept over it and said, “If you, even you, had only known on this day what would bring you peace—but now it is hidden from your eyes.”
(Luke 19:41-42)

At a time when he could have basked in the adulation of the crowds, Jesus was weeping. There is celebration all around him, but Jesus sees beyond the surface to the painful reality – human beings don’t know what will bring them peace.

In a conflicted and complicated world, it is easy to become apathetic. We can become numbed by the stream of bad news stories on our social media feeds, knowing we can do little to help. We stop noticing the seeds of division in our homes and communities.

But Jesus shows us the importance of being present with the brokenness around us. Jesus’ first response is not to offer solutions but to cry out in lament. Even when we feel helpless, we can allow ourselves to weep and bring our honest feelings to God.

Let’s take a moment to pause and reflect:

• Are there situations where I have become apathetic because the situation seems hopeless?
• How comfortable do I feel about sharing my honest feelings with God in tough situations?