Meet us this week, Lord, in the stuff of Holy Week.

Help us notice the symbols that tell of your love. They are all around us—gift after gift from you.

Meet us in green leaves waving and in stones by the road.

Remind us to lift our voices in hosannas as we welcome you in.

Meet us in silver coins and paper bills as we buy and sell, save and spend.

Remind us to be grateful, honest, and generous with all we have.

Meet us in bread and with every meal we share.

Remind us how you fed even those who would betray you, with your own self—the bread of heaven.

Meet us in the cups we use, whatever is inside them.

Remind us that you’ve poured us a taste of the banquet yet to come, with your own self poured out—the cup of salvation.

Meet us in pitchers, water, and towels.

Remind us how you washed your friends’ feet and told us to love one another like that.

Meet us in gardens, awake or in sleep.

Remind us to keep praying—alone and together—and that you are with us in whatever comes.

Meet us in crosses, wherever we see them.

Remind us of suffering, of violence, of sin. Help us not look away and not give up. Sunday is coming.

Meet us at gravesides and burial sites—the ones we know well, and the ones freshly made.

Remind us that Easter began in the silent dark when no one was even looking.

Meet us in the stuff and symbols of Holy Week, Lord.

Open our eyes and ears to see and hear you.

Walk with us through this week.

May we pay attention.

May we remember.

May we wait and watch in hope.

Amen.

Julie Hester

is a pastor and writer in North Carolina. She shares weekly writing prompts through her website www.juliehester.com. You might want to use the stanzas of this prayer as invitations to write or journal this week. What does the stuff of Holy Week—green leaves, silver coins, bread, water, gardens, gravesides—bring up in your writing, your memories, and your prayers?