|
|
|
||||||||||
|
Dear Friend, All of us have experienced the ups and downs of life. The
moments when we are on a high seem too short and the times when we are in the
pit, when nothing seems to go right sometimes seem to last forever. While we
look forward to the next high we dread the low moments, which will surely
come our way. Today’s celebration of Palm Sunday and the Passion remind us
that Jesus too went through a similar experience and we have to accept the
ecstasy and the agony of life as two sides of the same coin. We cannot have
one without the other. Have an empowered
weekend encountering Jesus in His triumph and sorrow. Fr. Jude Botelho |
|||||||||||
|
Today’s
special reading of the Gospel at the Blessing of Palms reminds us of the
triumphant entry of Jesus into Jerusalem and of the people who waved branches
and greeted him shouting “Hosanna to the Son of David! ” But Jesus’ entry is
different from the victory march of earthly monarchs. The paradox of the
cross is captured on Palm Sunday. Yes, he enters with royal acclamation, but
not astride s horse, but riding on an ass, a symbol of peace not war. He
knows the shouts of “Hosanna” will soon turn to “Crucify Him! Crucify Him!
Away with Him!” At the end of this
week, a placard on the cross proclaims him king in the truest sense, one who
rules by self giving, one who rules by losing. Perhaps the message for us
this Palm Sunday is that we should learn to take the ups and downs of life as
all coming from God’s hands. This short first reading is an extract from the
third servant song in which the enigmatic figure of the servant of Yahweh is firstly
presented as a teacher who must first learn before he communicates his
message. This servant meets opposition and persecution when he tries to
communicate God’s message to the very people whom he is supposed to preach
and bring comfort to. But this opposition is part of the training of the
servant. It is through this suffering that his true mettle is proved and he
is shown to be a faithful servant of Yahweh. His obedience and acceptance of
all that comes his way merits salvation for his people. The suffering servant
prefigures the Messiah who learned obedience and by his acceptance of
suffering will bring salvation to his people. Silent Servant Use of the Cross In his letters St. Francis of Sales tells of a custom of the country
districts in which he lived. He had often noticed a farm servant going across
a farmland to draw water at the well. He also noticed that before she lifted
the overflowing pail the girl always put a piece of wood into it. One day he
went out to the girl and asked her, “Why do you do that?” She looked
surprised and answered, as if it were a matter of course, “Why?” To keep the
water from spilling, to keep it steady.” Writing to a friend later on, the
bishop told this story and added, “So when your heart is distressed and
agitated, put the cross into its center to keep it steady.” William
Barclay Of all the
accounts of Jesus, those of the trial, passion and death of Jesus are the
longest and most unified. It was doubtless because this part interested the
early Christians the most. It was necessary to show that the Cross and what
appeared to be a failure and disaster was part of God’s plan, and how the
resurrection was an integral part of the passion and death of Jesus and not
an after thought. When we listen to the passion we need to realize that this
is not a historical detailed report of the sufferings of Jesus Christ. The
focus is not on the physical suffering and torture inflicted on Jesus during
his passion, rather we are invited to reflect on the love that made him
endure everything for our sake. Matthew’s passion has distinctive high lights
of Jesus’ path to Calvary. Matthew introduces major sections with the title
“Jesus”, which the readers know from the angel’s command means ‘he will save
his people from their sins.’ Jesus is portrayed not only as the saviour but
as the innocent one unjustly condemned for our sins. Pilate’s wife warns him
not to have anything to do with this ‘righteous man’. Even Judas repents when
he realizes he has betrayed ‘innocent blood’. Matthew’s Gospel and Passion
narrative are permeated by the theology of Jesus as the suffering just person
who will ‘proclaim justice to the Gentiles’ at the cost of his own life.
Matthew alone recounts the earthquake at Jesus’ death, when the tombs are
opened and many of the saints are raised, a vivid symbol that death is
conquered at the very moment of its apparent victory. The Traveller Richard
Matheson wrote a science-fiction story called “The Traveller”. It’s about a
scientist named Paul Jairus. He’s part of a research team that has developed
an energy screen to permit people to travel backwards into time. Jairus is
picked to make the first trip and he decides to go back in time to the
crucifixion of Jesus on Calvary. Jairus is a non-believer and anticipates
finding the crucifixion different from the way the Bible describes it. When
the historic moment comes, Jairus steps inside the energy screen. The countdown
goes as planned, the launch is made on schedule. Soon Jairus finds himself
soaring backwards in time and the energy screen touches down on target.
Calvary is swarming with people. Everybody’s attention is focused on three
men nailed to crosses 100 feet away. Immediately Jairus asks the Command
Centre for permission to move closer to the crosses. They grant it but tell
him to stay inside the energy screen. Jairus moves closer. As he does, his
eyes come to rest on Jesus. Suddenly something remarkable begins to happen.
Jairus feels drawn to Jesus, as a tiny piece of is drawn to a magnet. He is
deeply moved by the love radiating from Jesus. It’s something he’s never
experienced before. Then, contrary to all expectations, events on Calvary
begin to unfold exactly as the Gospel describes them. Jairus is visibly
shaken. The Command Centre realizes this and fears he’s becoming emotionally
involved. They tell him to prepare for immediate return to the 20th
century. Jairus protests, but to no
avail. The return trip goes smoothly. When Jairus steps from the energy
screen, it’s clear he’s a changed man. –The story of Jairus makes an
important point: we shouldn’t focus on the suffering of Jesus during the Holy
Week ahead. What we should focus on is the love of Jesus that speaks to us
through his suffering. Mark Link
in ‘Sunday Homilies’ “The apparent futility of suffering runs through the whole of Christ’s
passion. His mission seems to end in failure. But he overcomes the apparent
futility by abiding obedience to the Father’s will. “he humbled himself,
obediently accepting death on the Cross, and he did it freely. “He gave his
back to those who beat him.” He was
fully in control of his destiny, whereas others acted as prisoners. Pilate
was utterly imprisoned by his own weakness; the high priests were controlled
not by the truth but by their lust for the blood of Jesus; St. Peter could
not control even his tongue and denied his master; Judas ended his life as a
prisoner of his own helplessness. But Jesus was all the time free, so free
that he could say later, “I am now ready for you.” It is this freedom with
which Jesus chooses to suffer for the love of us that crowned his passion. Of
course he needed help which he could not expect from his own disciples who
slept when he suffered and woke up only to desert him. Hence Christ’s
constant prayer was, “The Lord God is my help”. Like Christ, those who love
God and neighbour must be ready to face conflicts, suffering and even death.
To try to face each day as a true Christian, with courage, in a world which
requires so many kinds of pain- killers, can be very hard. But if our love of
God and neighbour is deep and strong, we will be able to freely accept these
sufferings as a way of sharing in Christ’s love. Victory comes through
suffering. The Passion was not the last word in the life of Christ. It was
the first word of the Holy Week that will reach its climax on Easter Sunday.
No matter how low we fall, there is always the possibility of rising from it
to the heights. Palm Sunday should solidify our hope. “ – Vima
Dasan in ‘His Word Lives’ “ I witnessed a striking image of the power of the symbols used in the Holy Week liturgies at St. Claire’s parish in Santa Clara, California. Every Good Friday the parish celebrates the way of the cross by moving to different stations throughout the neighbourhood. The huge crucifix is lifted from the front wall of the church and the Portuguese marching band, beating a somber rhythm, leads the procession. The parish is ethnically diverse, and each group carries the cross for a number of stations: Portuguese, Chinese, Latinos, Angelos, and the Vietnamese. Young and old are united as one mingles with a grandmother in traditional dress holding the hand of a granddaughter in jeans and an Oakland Riders jacket; little children run back and forth, often evoking frowns from prayerful parents. The event is a powerful symbol that whatever the differences and heritage, we carry Christ’s cross together. ” -John Donahue May His passion, suffering and death strengthen us! Fr. Jude
Botelho |
|||||||||||
|
|
|||||||||||
|
Other Sunday Homily Websites Daily Reflections Immaculate Heart Retreat Center Gospel Commentary from Ireland Daily Scripture |
Recent
Sunday Reflections Fifth Sunday of Lent 09-March. 2008 Second Sunday of the Year 20-Jan. 2008 First Sunday of the Year 13-Jan. 2008 Feast of the Epiphany 06-Jan. 2008 Feast of Holy Family 30-Dec. 2007
|
||||||||||
|
|
|||||||||||
