As we read the account of the passion of Jesus from St. Mark’s Gospel today, we move with Jesus through the events of that first Holy Week. Against the background of plotting betrayal, Jesus accepts the loving tenderness of one who prophetically anoints Him in preparation for His burial. He shares His last Passover meal with the disciples, again prophetically acting out His approaching death in the sacrament of His body and blood, and, in the garden of Gethsemane, Jesus goes through an agony of anticipation, freely accepting the will of His Father, which lead to His arrest and condemnation.
How can we effectively take part in the commemoration of the passion and death of the Lord this week? If we truly to experience the transforming power of the resurrection when we celebrate Easter next Sunday, we’re called to take part as fully as we can in the liturgical actions of this week, reminding ourselves that we are all called to be disciples, to take up our cross and follow Jesus.