Getting Ready
As you may have noticed in church on Sunday, I got a little emotional when I realized that we are entering into a Holy Week that has all the markers of normalcy. The church was full for Palm Sunday. Many of you have signed up for the overnight vigil on Maundy Thursday. Most of the bulletins are printed (with the only exception being Easter, which is unique this year as my first time experiencing a Bishop’s visit on the holiest of days). Thirteen Hundred Easter eggs have been stuffed with candy and are ready to be hunted! We are about ready…
…that is to say, we are as ready for the things that will take place on Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, and Easter as can be possible. As things bloom around our campus and preparations are in place, I think about Jesus walking over to the Mount of Olives on the night he was arrested. The garden of Gethsemane (named such because it is where the olive press was located for making olive oil) is on the other side of the valley from Jerusalem. Jesus literally leaves the city and goes out to wait for the crowd to arrive. He could have kept walking, but he waited for Judas and his mob. He waited and he prayed.
I am hopeful as we get ready for the events of this Holy Week, that we will place our gaze upon Jesus who is at the center of everything that will take place. There is no love greater than selfless love and contemplating the reality that Jesus stayed and waited for what was to come for the sake of saving people like you and me opens us up to hear how much God loves us. Somehow, this love is so complete that our salvation is placed above all else. I am praying for your heart to be gladdened by such Good News. I can’t wait to sing in celebration with you this Sunday!
We love you and God loves you,
Josh Condon+