The darkest hour is just before dawn

Palm Sunday comes with the joyous procession into Jerusalem, and the solemn proclamation of the Passion.  The beginning of the darkest time of the liturgical year.  Our attention spans are short, and we remember roughly 4000 years of waiting for the Messiah in roughly 40 days.  But, as the days go by, we kind of forget.  So now we have Passiontide, and Holy Week to bring us back into focus.  We really did kill our Savior, and He really did voluntarily lay down His life for our sake.  All those resolutions I made, starting in Septuagesima, and about which I was so enthusiastic on Ash Wednesday seem to have, umm, well, weakened a bit.  Today's liturgy brings a wake-up call.  The postponing of tomorrow's feast of the Annunciation until after the Easter octave reminds me that penance is called for more than ever--pay attention! says the Church.  The hour is coming and is already at hand.  But after that, the dawn!  The Son will rise!