Before we get to Sunday…which by the way is the best and most important reason to be happy…lets take this (holy) week in. Moving from Palm Sunday to Good Friday is a reflective journey that helps us appreciate who Jesus is, what Jesus did, and how the world is ‘saved’ ‘rescued’ and ‘delivered’ in and through him. Palm Sunday starts us off. We begin the journey as Jesus did. Just like we could interpret the joy of the crowd as affirmative, so to we can rush to the conclusion that all was well and the party had already begun.

The resurrection is the party of parties. The reason we celebrate is because of how dark Friday was. The light of Sunday is bright because of the shadow cast by Friday. Take it in, let it affect you, let it hit you deep. It will allow us to appreciate Sunday all the more.

What will you do, how will you pray, what more will you sacrifice, to identify with the suffering of Jesus? This week, this Friday, think about the darkness, the shadows, the grief, and the pain, all for the sake of the world. Sunday will be here before you know it, but in order to appreciate the party of (his) resurrection, stop to appreciate the reality of (his) death.