Monsignor Struck once told me about a woman in his former parish—a woman who was mean to certain people all year long. However, on Palm Sunday, she made sure she gave each of them a piece of palm!

When he shared this with me, my immediate response was to say, "How appropriate! They gave palms to Jesus before they crucified him; she’s giving palms to her relatives and friends before she crucifies them!"

Obviously, she missed the point of this popular custom of exchanging palms. And I would say she missed the point of the custom, because she missed the point of Holy Week!

Holy Week is ultimately about reconciliation: reconciliation with God, and also with others. Clearly, this woman missed that message entirely!

Holy Week is about humility—the humility of God’s Son, which led him to embrace the Cross for us(as we were told in today’s second reading from Philippians 2).

Holy Week is about salvation, grace, mercy, hope, and holiness!

Let’s make the commitment this morning to make extra time for the Lord during the next several days, so that we will not make the mistake this woman made!

On that note: on Monday, Tuesday and Wednesday we will have morning Mass here as usual; on Thursday, Friday and Saturday we will have morning prayer at the normal Mass times. The Easter Triduum begins with the Mass of the Lord’s Supper on Thursday evening at 7 PM, followed by adoration of the Blessed Sacrament in the church hall until 11 PM—a time for us to remember the Lord’s agony in the Garden of Gethsemane. On Friday we will have Stations of the Cross twice: once outside at noon (specifically designed for young people and families); then, at 3 PM, here in church. The celebration of the Lord’s Passion will take place on Friday evening at 7; and the first Mass of Easter—the glorious celebration of the Easter Vigil—will be held at 8 PM on Saturday night.

I wonder if this woman in Monsignor Struck’s old parish took advantage of the many opportunities for spiritual growth that Monsignor offered her at St. Rose’s Church each Holy Week? And, if she did go to some of those services, how deeply did she enter into the experience? How deeply did she reflect on what Jesus Christ had done for her on the first Holy Thursday and Good Friday?

If her behavior during the rest of the year was any indication (and it probably was!), then either she didn’t participate at all, or her participation was very, very superficial.