I didn’t grow up in a religious household. I’m not sure either of my parents believed in God—it wasn’t something we ever talked about. My dad’s religion was golf at 6 a.m. every Sunday, and my mother had her “conversations with Gert,” sitting at her bedroom window, gazing out at Mt. Si as she reflected on life.
So, when I look at this High Holy Week through a New Thought lens, it’s not meant to be sacrilegious. It is, for me, a way of honoring the Jewish mystic known as Jesus of Nazareth.
Palm Sunday is often seen as a celebration—and it is. But it is also something more. It is a moment of deep inner commitment. A moment when a decision is made, not because the path is easy, but because it is true.
Jesus entered Jerusalem riding on a donkey—a symbol of peace and humility. Crowds gathered along the road, spreading cloaks and palm branches, shouting, “Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!” Jerusalem was the spiritual and political center, especially during Passover, so this was not a quiet or accidental moment. It was a deliberate, public declaration.
And here’s the question that lives underneath it:
What if Palm Sunday is really about the courage to say yes before you know the outcome?
Metaphysically, Palm Sunday represents the conscious choice to step into your higher identity. The “entry into Jerusalem” becomes a symbol of entering a new level of awareness—of accepting a calling that will stretch you.
If you had told me at any point during my first 50 years that I would become a minister, I would have laughed at the absurdity of it. And yet, somewhere in me, I found the courage to say yes. Looking back, I can see there were many moments when the call was there—I just wasn’t ready to answer.
Saying yes is not passive. It is an act of spiritual bravery.
Jesus didn’t drift into destiny—he chose it knowingly.
So, the question becomes personal:
Where have you said yes in your life?
And maybe more importantly—where are you avoiding the call?
And maybe more importantly—where are you avoiding the call?
Your yes might look like:
- Choosing something meaningful without needing every detail mapped out.
Paul and I chose to be married in Santa Fe, New Mexico. We had a date, and I had a dress. We trusted that we would find the rings and the place once we arrived—and we did. - Leaving what is familiar to begin again somewhere new.
I’ve done this more than once in my life. I wouldn’t call it easy, but it has always been an adventure—and it has always stretched me in the best ways. - Speaking truth with compassion, even when it’s uncomfortable.
As a minister, I sometimes have the opportunity to have hard conversations—ones I know may not be easy to hear and are necessary for the good of the whole. - Trusting your inner compass over what others say is best.
If I had listened to my family and friends every time they questioned my choices, I would have missed many of the experiences that have become the richest stories of my life.
Because here’s the truth: the same crowd that shouted “Hosanna” would later reject the man they once celebrated.
Which raises a deeper question—are you living for applause, or are you living in alignment?
In a world shaped by 24-hour news cycles and constant social media noise, it’s easy to confuse popularity with truth. But truth is not determined by consensus. It is revealed through inner knowing.
Palm Sunday is the beginning of Holy Week—not the end.
It is the moment where something shifts. Where a decision is made. Where a person steps forward, not because they have guarantees, but because they are willing to trust what is calling them.
Life responds to that kind of courage. Your yes changes the trajectory of your experience.
Palm Sunday isn’t really about palm branches. It is about personal awakening. It is about the moment you choose to move forward, even when you cannot see the whole path.
So the question isn’t whether it will be easy.
The question is—will you find the courage to say yes?
Blessings on your journey,
Rev. Gayle
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