Jesus’ last days reveal the depth of his love. Consider what Jesus set his hands to accomplish during Holy Week. On Sunday, Jesus’ hands clutched the back of a humble donkey as he entered Jerusalem. Shouts echoed from the streets, “Hosanna, blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord” (Mark 11). These shouts of praise were exchanged for crucifixion chants by the end of the week. On Monday, Jesus’ hands cleared the temple from corruption. Zeal for God’s house turned over tables and drove out the animals with a whip. After cleansing the temple, Jesus got back to work. He taught and healed the people. Later that week, the disciples received a master class in selfless love. Jesus became a servant to model love unseen in the impulses of the world. The teacher cleaned and dried the feet of each student. In the upper room, Jesus’ hands blessed the Passover meal and distributed bread and wine. “Take and eat; this is my body. “Drink from it, all of you. This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins” (Matthew 26). After the meal, those trembling hands would be clenched in prayer, pleading with the Father in Gethsemane. Resolutely, Jesus extended his hand and drank the cup his Father willed. Before Jesus was bound for trial, his touch healed the captor’s severed ear. “No one takes it [my life] from me, but I lay it down of my own accord” (John 10). Quaking hands resolved to endure false accusations, mockery, beatings, scourging, thorns, and nails. With hands fixed on the cross, Jesus pulled against the nails to expend a few breaths to care for his mother, pardon a condemned man, and forgive his enemies. “It is finished” (John 19), and his body was committed to burial by the hands of a few close followers. Early Sunday morning, stunned women clasped the feet of the resurrected Lord and worshiped him. The same scarred hands and feet bore witness to the resurrection. Holy Week firmly places our salvation in God’s hands. These are the same loving hands that will one day embrace you as Jesus declares, “Come, you who are blessed by my Father; take your inheritance, the kingdom prepared for you since the creation of the world” (Matthew 25). Then, for eternity, you will know the full extent of God’s love for you. Until then, may God use your hands to carry out that upper room command. “Love one another. As I have loved you, so you must love one another” (John 13). -Principal Peck