Palm Sunday Imaginative Prayer

An Imaginative Prayer Practice for Palm Sunday

This imaginative prayer practices invites you to into the story of Palm Sunday, the story where Jesus rides a donkey into Jerusalem. Follow the instructions below to engage in a meaningful time of prayer.

1. Find Stillness.

Find a comfortable seat and silence the noise around you so you can be fully present here and now. Acknowledge the presence of God meeting you in the place where you are.  Perhaps you take a few deep inhales and full exhales with your eyes closed to help you become fully present right here, right now. 

2. Read the Passage.

Read this passage from Luke below. While the text in Luke doesn't mention palm leaves, the version of the story in John does, so I've added them here as a way to create a more robust picture in your mind. As you read, allow your mind to be flooded with imagery of what you would imagine it would be like to be present. Perhaps the idea of imagining yourself as a 'fly on the wall' of this first reading: 

Jesus headed straight for Jerusalem. When he arrived at the stables of Annia near the Mount of Olives, he sent two of his disciples ahead, saying, “When you enter the next village, you will find tethered there a donkey’s young colt that has never been ridden. Untie it and bring it to me. And if anyone stops you and asks, ‘What are you doing?’ just tell them this: ‘It is needed for the Lord.’ ”

The two disciples entered the village and found the colt exactly like Jesus had said. While they were untying it, the owners confronted them and asked, “What are you doing?” The disciples replied, “We need this donkey for the Lord.”

After they brought the colt to Jesus, they placed their prayer shawls on its back, and Jesus rode it as he descended the Mount of Olives toward Jerusalem. As he rode toward the city, people spontaneously threw their prayer shawls and palm branches like a carpet on the path in front of him. As soon as he got to the bottom of the Mount of Olives, the crowd of his followers shouted with a loud outburst of ecstatic joy over all the mighty wonders of power they had witnessed. They shouted over and over, “Highest praises to God for the one who comes as King in the name of the Lord! Heaven’s peace and glory from the highest realm now comes to us!” 

3. Where Are You?

Read the passage again and, this time, imagine that you are part of the story unfolding. Notice if there is a specific roll it is easiest to imagine yourself as part of:

Perhaps you imagine you are with the two disciples who go to find the colt.

Perhaps you imagine you are a disciple as part of the procession, near the front or back, as Jesus rides into Jerusalem.

Perhaps you imagine you are one of the people laying down a palm branch or a prayer shawl, creating a carpet on the path of Jesus.

Perhaps you imagine yourself shouting praise.

Perhaps you imagine yourself still as an onlooker, not fully immersed in the happenings but watching what is happening from afar.

There's no right or wrong place to be, just notice where you find yourself most easily appearing in the story as you read. 

Jesus headed straight for Jerusalem. When he arrived at the stables of Annia near the Mount of Olives, he sent two of his disciples ahead, saying, “When you enter the next village, you will find tethered there a donkey’s young colt that has never been ridden. Untie it and bring it to me. And if anyone stops you and asks, ‘What are you doing?’ just tell them this: ‘It is needed for the Lord.’ ”

The two disciples entered the village and found the colt exactly like Jesus had said. While they were untying it, the owners confronted them and asked, “What are you doing?” The disciples replied, “We need this donkey for the Lord.”

After they brought the colt to Jesus, they placed their prayer shawls on its back, and Jesus rode it as he descended the Mount of Olives toward Jerusalem. As he rode toward the city, people spontaneously threw their prayer shawls and palm branches like a carpet on the path in front of him. As soon as he got to the bottom of the Mount of Olives, the crowd of his followers shouted with a loud outburst of ecstatic joy over all the mighty wonders of power they had witnessed. They shouted over and over, “Highest praises to God for the one who comes as King in the name of the Lord! Heaven’s peace and glory from the highest realm now comes to us!” 

4. Live the Story.

To build on with your imagination from your last reading, I invite you to imagine the story unfolding spaciously as you imagine yourself living the story. Stop reading at sections and imagine what it would be like to be present to Jesus right then and there. Notice what could be happening around you. Consider the sights and sounds and smells. Consider the colours you might see, how it would feel to be present. There's no right or wrong here; allow yourself to explore and enjoy the presence of Jesus: 

Jesus headed straight for Jerusalem. When he arrived at the stables of Annia near the Mount of Olives, he sent two of his disciples ahead, saying, “When you enter the next village, you will find tethered there a donkey’s young colt that has never been ridden. Untie it and bring it to me. And if anyone stops you and asks, ‘What are you doing?’ just tell them this: ‘It is needed for the Lord.’ ”

The two disciples entered the village and found the colt exactly like Jesus had said. While they were untying it, the owners confronted them and asked, “What are you doing?” The disciples replied, “We need this donkey for the Lord.”

After they brought the colt to Jesus, they placed their prayer shawls on its back, and Jesus rode it as he descended the Mount of Olives toward Jerusalem. As he rode toward the city, people spontaneously threw their prayer shawls and palm branches like a carpet on the path in front of him. As soon as he got to the bottom of the Mount of Olives, the crowd of his followers shouted with a loud outburst of ecstatic joy over all the mighty wonders of power they had witnessed. They shouted over and over, “Highest praises to God for the one who comes as King in the name of the Lord! Heaven’s peace and glory from the highest realm now comes to us!” 

5. Reflect with God.

Take some time to reflect on your experience with God. Questions like, what does my imagined placement in the story say of my current relationship with Jesus and awareness of God? or What does this story teach me about Jesus? What was unexpected about my experience? What was odd or awe-inspiring? What might God want to share with you from your experience?Perhaps you just share with God what the experience was like. Perhaps you sit in silence and savour the experience in your imagination.

Take as much time as you'd like reflecting and close your time with God in a way that feels authentic to you. It could be reading through the passage one more time, saying a short prayer of gratitude to God for the experience, taking a deep inhale and exhale, or imagining God present with you right here and now. 

As we enter into Holy Week, a week that walks us through the unfolding of Jesus' death and resurrection, may we be present to Jesus.