6th of April 2020

Today's reflection was written by our University Chaplain, Revd Harriet Harris.

Daily Reflection, Monday Holy Week

As we enter the third week of shutdown, we are also entering Holy Week, the week in the Christian Calendar taking us to the crucifixion of Jesus on Good Friday. The week begins with Jesus entering Jerusalem on a donkey, to huge excitement; people crowd around him, tearing down palm branches and singing ‘Hosanna’.

‘Hosanna’ is a word of praise that also means something like, ‘Save us’.

The crowd were expecting something from Jesus, but by Friday they were disappointed, angry, afraid, and calling for his death.

In Holy Week we are invited to walk as though walking with Jesus. What was it like for Jesus to be met with such joy, but to be so misunderstood that it could only end in death? What can it be like to carry a burden of love for the people who dance with you on Sunday and come out on Friday to mock you and see you die?

There are the physical and social aspects to our lives: for Jesus these included the power of the Romans and their means of execution, and the fickleness of crowd behaviour; for us they include the lottery of COVID19, social media frenzies, and the changeable nature of social gathering or isolation - all able to whip up storms inside our minds.

Then there are the spiritual aspects to our lives, which is where we can find grounding, constancy, and confidence.

Passionate, compassionate Christ

Who sustains your love for humankind

Whilst we flail about in our affections and our fears,

Lead us to drink from the ever-flowing fountain of love and life,

So that whatever, befalls us physically,

And whatever emotional storms toss us about,

Your life-giving water will brighten our eyes,

Refresh our spirits,

And coarse through our veins with confidence and love.