The past week has been overflowing with exuberant joy and love at my house!  Grandchildren leaped across the threshold with boundless energy eight days ago.  Moments raced by while time seemed to stand still, encapsulated in a treasure held in our hearts together.  The children boarded a plane this afternoon, soaring up and away into the heavens, leaving a trail of precious memories and a silence that is both empty and full.

The collage of photos provides a glimpse of the many moments….horseback riding, watching movies and the Astros baseball game, canoeing (turning it over twice), visiting the Zoo, dancing outside to loud music while still in PJ’s.  Painting t-shirts, playing on the playground, eating jelly beans and lucky charms cereal…and many more!

Goodbyes are never easy!  I almost feel guilty having so much fun during Lent.  Now I face the beginning of Holy Week wanting to experience the passion of Jesus.  Pondering this, I was suddenly struck with the realization that all this explosion of love allows me to more fully embrace the depth of the love of Christ.  This week he prepares to say goodbye to his friends.  He sits down to share his last supper with them.  “Now before the Feast of the Passover, when Jesus knew that his hour had come to depart out of this world to the Father, having loved his own who were in the world, he loved them to the end.” (John 13:1))

There is no greater love than what Jesus had for us!  This week is about opening ourselves to receive that love.  I think perhaps Jesus may be saying, “Just let me love you!”  It is out of that love that we are able to love each other.  Jesus’ last words of instruction were this…“A new commandment I give to you, that you love one another:  just as I have loved you, you also are to love one another.” (John 13:34).  

Holy Week is all about loving and being loved!

nk