O God, please give me the ability to empathize with Jesus’s grief, as well as the suffering of others. Grant me strength and courage to follow his example.
Option 1:
Scripture: Matthew 26:6-13
Reflection: Enter the scene with your senses. Contemplate your daily life: in what specific ways are you like the disciples? In what ways are you like the woman?
Option 2:
Reflection: Ponder the “Bethany to Jerusalem Contemplation”
Option 3:
Reflection: Meditate on the story of Sophie Scholl who knowingly pursued a mission that would likely (and did) result in her death. Ponder how Jesus similarly knew he was risking death for a purpose. Where is your heart at?
Option 4:
Scripture: John 13:1-20
Reflection: Place yourself in the scene. Play it out like a movie in your mind. What seems to motivate Jesus to make this gesture of foot washing at this pivotal time? How does it feel to have Jesus wash your feet?
Option 5:
Scripture: Luke 22:24-27
Reflection: Ponder this scene in light of Jesus’s foot washing at the same meal. Where are you in the story?
Option 6:
Scripture: Come back to John 13:1-20 and read it two or three times. As you do, notice what specific words or phrases stand out to you. What might God be speaking to you?
Reviewing the Week:
Look back on the past week. What stands out to you the most as you have prayed and reflected on the days before Jesus’s arrest? Talk with God about your reflections.