All Palms and Circumstance

This week we celebrate Palm Sunday and with it the Lenten season officially ends as well as our “boot camp for the soul.”*  This ending comes with all the “pomp and circumstance” that goes along with a graduation celebration. Congratulations, we made it!

The thing with this boot camp, though, is that although its completion is certainly something to be celebrated and our soul-searching is something to not be forgotten – still, it’s not really the end of anything at all, is it?

It’s really just the beginning. "Boot Camp” always prepares us for what comes next. In the classic military sense, it’s for active duty. Our boot camp for the soul has all been to prepare us for the hard work of the Holy Week ahead. Many may rather jump right to Easter from the “palms and circumstance” of Palm Sunday. But to do so would be to just disregard our Lenten “boot camp” experience. Jesus must go to the cross – this is what he’s been training for throughout His ministry. And we must go there with Him. This is, after all, what “boot camp for the soul” has prepared us for all along.
So, this week we will wave our palms and sing our hosannas to Jesus. But let’s not forget the circumstances for which it was all for. Rather, let’s go into Holy Week - together – more ready than ever to give glory to our crucified – and risen Lord.