Ignatian Imaginative Prayer for Palm Sunday

reflection by Ashley Brooks

As we enter into Holy Week, we are invited to join Jesus in his sorrow and suffering. Much like sharing in grief with a friend or family member, this task asks us to be wholly present. But this is easier said than done. Entering into these dark days is complex, even when walking alongside Jesus himself. 

Ignatian imaginative prayer is one way to bring ourselves nearer to Jesus’s experience. Last weekend, we heard the Gospel of Palm Sunday, in which Jesus processes into Jerusalem. The mood is triumphant, a joyful fulfillment of prophecy—yet we all know what comes next in the story. Rather than imagining Jesus’s Passion itself, Palm Sunday offers us a gentler entry into Holy Week. 

We invite you to slow down this Holy Week, embarking on Jesus’s difficult journey by beginning in the same place he did. Gather yourself in grounded silence as you enter into this imaginative prayer practice. 

Imaginative Prayer for Palm Sunday

Read or listen to Matthew 21:1–11. Let the story wash over you as you receive these words. 

Read or listen to this passage a second time, becoming fully immersed in the scene. Use these prompts if they are helpful:

• What do you see, smell, taste, hear, and feel? 

• Whose perspective are you taking in this scene?

• What do you notice? Where is your attention drawn? Sit with this, letting the Holy Spirit guide your focus.

• Respond from your heart with honesty. Openly share your feelings, positive or negative, with Divine Love.

• Savor the graces you received in this prayer experience. 

We hope this imaginative exercise supports you as you settle into your experience of Holy Week, whatever that looks like for you. We at Sacred Ground send you blessings in this final week of Lent. May Christ be with you always as we look toward the hope of the Resurrection.