HOPE40 - Day 34 - So It Begins

Palm Sunday Reflection

Today's Scripture: Luke 22:14—23:56

click above to read in full

It's Saturday and we are standing at the threshold of Holy Week. We are about to enter into the heart of our faith...a story of sorrow that leads to the greatest joy the world has ever known. Luke’s account of the Passion brings us face to face with the depth of Christ’s suffering: the Last Supper, the betrayal, the trial, the denial, the scourging, and finally, the Cross. This Passion narrative carries the weight of every human sorrow and sin. It is overwhelming, and it should be.

But you do not walk through this story as a spectator. You are invited in. You have fasted, prayed, offered small acts of hope and sacrifice during these 40 days of Lent. And now you follow Jesus, step by step, as He completes His mission.

In this final stretch, let’s remember: this is not the end of the story. The Cross is not defeat, it is the road to victory. Your sorrow is not empty, it is fertile ground where hope is planted, watered with tears, and ready to bloom into joy.

Enter this week not with fear or sadness, but with the hope that has been quietly growing in you all Lent long. A hope that trusts Christ's love is stronger than death. A hope that believes light will return. A hope that knows Easter Sunday is coming.

LET US PRAY

Lord Jesus, You entered into Your Passion not with bitterness, but with love. You accepted betrayal, rejection, and suffering so that we might know the depth of Your mercy. As we enter Holy Week, let our hearts be softened with repentance, pierced with sorrow, and lifted with hope that dares to believe in joy beyond the Cross. Walk with us, carry us if You must, but do not let us turn away. Plant in us the hope that endures through darkness and blossoms into the joy of Easter morning. We love You, Lord. Help us love You more. Amen

Reflection/Journal Prompt

What part of this journey has strengthened your hope the most? How can you carry that hope into Holy Week?

HOPE For Your Health - Progress over Perfection

This weekend, pause and remember that even during Lent, the Church invites us to feast on Sundays. Celebrate the hope that never stops pulsing beneath the surface of sacrifice.

Palm Sunday is a foretaste of the joy to come. Let your meals this weekend reflect the truth that we are a resurrection people, even as we walk the road to the Cross.

Enjoy your Sunday feast with gratitude, presence, and joy.

Then, beginning Monday through Thursday of Holy Week, we return to our 16:8 intermittent fasting rhythm, offering our small sacrifices as acts of hope.

Every fast this week is a quiet yes to Christ.

HOPE For Your Marriage: Joy in the Journey

Palm Sunday begins with celebration and ends with the Cross. What begins in triumph becomes a story of betrayal, denial, and suffering. And yet, Jesus remains faithful. He chooses love all the way to the end.

Marriage, too, walks this same path. You enter into it with joy and celebration. You wave your palms and make your promises. But it doesn’t take long before you meet the Cross...disappointments, misunderstandings, the daily sacrifices that stretch your heart and challenge your love.

This Holy Week, you are invited to walk with Jesus, and to walk with each other. As you reflect on Christ’s Passion, you can ask yourself:

Where have I denied or distanced myself from my spouse, like Peter did with Jesus?
Where have I grown tired of carrying the cross of daily sacrifice in our marriage?
Where have I forgotten that our love is called to reflect Christ’s love...faithful, self-giving, and full of hope?

But here's the beauty: Jesus doesn’t give up on Peter. He doesn’t curse those who abandon Him. He looks with love, He forgives, and He rises to restore. The same is true in marriage. You are not perfect, you will fall short. But you can always choose to love again. To forgive. To carry the cross together.

As you enter Holy Week, let sorrow bring softness, and let repentance open the door to joy. The story doesn’t end with Good Friday. And your marriage doesn’t end with difficulty. Resurrection is coming.

Weekend Challenge

Sometime this weekend, create a space of peace together - no tension, no talk of problems - just reconnection. Take a walk, go on a simple date, or pray a decade of the Rosary for your marriage. Step away from the noise and into a place where love can be received again.

Marriage Prayer for Palm Sunday

Dear Jesus, You loved to the end, even when it cost everything. Teach us to love that way in our marriage. When we face the little crosses of daily life, give us courage to carry them with patience and unity. Help us repent when we fail, forgive when we are hurt, and rejoice when love brings new life. This Holy Week, let our marriage reflect the hope of the Cross and the promise of the Resurrection. Amen

HEARTS OF PALM PASTA

This recipe from Drinking with the Saints: has been on my list for a while as I have some hearts of palm "pasta" that I've been saving for Palm Sunday. I tried using it before as a pasta replacement and my girls knew I was up to something after a few bites, not because of the hearts of palm, but because of the little smile on my face! For this recipe, I intend on adding some fresh spinach and some grilled chicken for extra protein...and calling it Chicken Alfredo ;)

From the recipe description on the Drinking with the Saints website:

Not only is this dish an obvious tie-in to today’s Sunday, but since heart of palm was once one of the most expensive ingredients on the market because of the difficulty of procuring it, it also evokes the kingship of Our Lord. Heart of palm has a light vegetal quality, with a crunchy and yet soft exterior, and tastes like a combination of white asparagus, young coconut, and celery. And you can think of the bow tie–shaped farfalle pasta as tiny little palm leaves spread out in front of the King.

INGREDIENTS

1 lbs. farfalle pasta
2 Tbsps. olive oil
2 cups hearts of palm, cut into 1⁄8-inch pieces
2 cloves garlic, minced
¼ cup white wine
1 cup heavy cream
2 Tbsps. fresh parsley, minced
1 tsp. salt
½ tsp. pepper
½ cup parmesan cheese

INSTRUCTIONS

Cook pasta al dente: according to package directions, but subtract 2 minutes from the cooking time. Reserve ½ cup of the starchy water, then drain the rest.
In a large sauté pan over medium heat, heat the olive oil.
Add the hearts of palm and garlic and cook until fragrant.
Add the white wine and cook for 2 minutes.
Add the heavy cream, parsley, salt, and pepper, and bring the ingredients to a simmer.
Add the pasta to the pan and toss, adding some of the starchy water, a little at a time, until the desired consistency, which should be just creamy enough to coat the pasta.
Add the parmesan cheese and mix together before serving.