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Palm Sunday
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Passion
(Palm) Sunday - Cycle C
Luke 23,1-49
I attended a wonderful exhibition of the works of John Singer Sargent
at the Museum of Fine Arts in Boston, Massachusetts. It went on for
rooms and rooms. There seemed to be hundreds of works. The artist must
never have rested. There was as best as I can recall only one religious
work. And that was a riveting crucifixion scene.
Studying Sargent's brass relief, one could better understand why Cicero
wrote that crucifixion was the "most heartless and most harrowing"
manner of execution.
This solitary work by the master artist Sargent was a fulfillment of
the line of a priest who said so prophetically, "The world can never
get away from that strange Man on the cross."
The crucifixion was of a type that I had never seen before. It had been
made for the Boston Public Library about 1899. Beneath each of
the outstretched arms of the Christ, there stood a figure. One was
clearly the young disciple John. The other was a woman, no doubt His
mother.
Each one held a chalice. They were catching His precious blood as it
flowed from His hands wounded by the nails. They obviously wished to
collect each and every drop of it.
The right foot of the Saviour was standing on a serpent. He was meant
by Sargent to be a symbol for Satan. By His death Jesus the Christ had
bested him.
And at the very base of the representation was a pelican. She was
feeding her young with her own flesh and blood. It was a reference to
His Body and Blood in the Eucharist. I recall wondering whether the
artist knew of the line: "All the love of God crammed into a tiny piece
of Bread."
Sargent had himself squeezed a great deal of theology into one brass
relief. For me, John Singer Sargent had brought some
fresh insights into the horrible and painful death of the Messiah. It
was also the case for other spectators. Many stood around his
crucifixion work studying every detail. No one spoke. They were
transfixed. They better understood I think the awesome price the
redemption had cost the Christ.
Yet, I do think Mr Sargent would have been surprised to learn that the
cross did not appear as a Christian symbol till about the fifth
century. Many archaeological digs have discovered early Christian
symbols other than the cross. One thinks immediately of the
ever-popular fish whose Greek letters stand for "Jesus Christ Son of
God Saviour." There was the anchor which symbolized hope for the early
Christians. And there were various types of Christograms. These were
the first letters of Jesus Christ in Greek placed one on top of the
other. But there were no crosses to be found among these early century
finds.
Why? No less an authority than Dominican Father Jerome Murphy O'Connor,
a professor at the Ecole Biblique in Jerusalem, answers the question
for Catholic News Services. "The cross at the time," he says, "was
being used for crucifixion and torture. To wear it around one's neck
would be like wearing a miniature electric chair around your neck
today. The idea was repulsive." Furthermore, many Christians felt
it would be dreadful to utilize a symbol of sheer disgrace for their
flourishing creed. Other scholars confirm Fr Murphy O'Connor's
view. Some observers also go on to declare that if the
Christians were to wear a cross, they would be inviting serious
troubles from the police. They would be broadcasting the fact that they
were indeed the followers of the Christ - Him who had been crucified
outside Jerusalem by the Romans. So wisely they chose the more subtle
symbols of the fish, the anchor, and the Christograms. These were codes
that those who did not follow Jesus Christ would not fathom. These
early centuries were of course the period in which the Christians
underwent serious persecutions for their faith.
In the fourth century, the Emperor Constantine converted to
Christianity. Happily he brought an abrupt halt to the centuries-old
barbarous crucifixion. Then and only then did Christians accept the
cross as their universal symbol. But intriguingly Fr Murphy O'Connor
asserts it took another two centuries before the Christ figure was
placed on that cross. The why of it remains a mystery.
As we begin this solemn week, we should carry with us this refrain: no
one is too bad to be forgiven.
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Palm Sunday
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Palm Sunday of the Lord's Passion: The Compassionate Lord on the Cross
This
year our gospel readings are taken from the Gospel of Luke. The
Gospel of Luke has many themes. Sometimes it is called the Gospel
of the Lowly as it emphasizes Jesus’ love for everyone and His
particular love for the poor, the infirm and the downtrodden.
“The lowly have been raised up,” Mary proclaims. Sometimes the
Gospel of Luke is called the Gospel of the Holy Spirit. The
presence and action of the Holy Spirit is seen throughout the
gospel. Sometimes the Gospel of Luke is called the Gospel of the
Compassionate Lord. The Lord’s compassion is emphasized
throughout the Gospel. The very command of the Lord in Matthew,
“Be perfect as your heavenly Father is perfect,” is modified in Luke to
“Be compassionate as your heavenly father is compassionate.”
I
would like to focus on the Lord’s compassion as we meditate on the
Passion of the Lord from Luke. The night before Jesus died, there
was a melee in the Garden of Olives. The Temple soldiers tried to
arrest Jesus, and his disciples began to fight back. One of
the servants of the high priest had an ear cut off. Jesus
healed the boy and then told his disciples to put away their
swords. The young boy was just caught up in the situation.
He did not deserve any form of punishment. Jesus is more
concerned with healing the boy than with saving His own
life. He didn’t use the fracas as an opportunity to escape.
He used it as an opportunity to demonstrate the compassion of God.
The
Lord’s first words of compassion in the passion in Luke were addressed
to Peter during the Last Supper. Jesus told Peter that He
had prayed for him that his faith might not fail. If it does,
then when he turns back, Peter must strengthen his brothers.
Jesus sees Peters weakness, his braggadocio, and has already forgiven
him for, well, for being Peter, that well meaning clod who talks and
acts first, then thinks later. Jesus knows him and has compassion
on him for his weakness.
The
morning of Good Friday, Peter denied the Lord three times. Then
there was that moment, that moment when Jesus was led from the
Sanhedrin’s chambers to Pilate. He passed by Peter.
Perhaps, their eyes met. I cannot picture the look of Jesus being
anything other than sorrow for Peter’s pain at having betrayed His
Lord.
When
Jesus addressed the women of Jerusalem on the way to the place called
Skull, He told them that He was more concerned with what would happen
to them then He was with what was happening to Himself.
When
He was crucified His first words were, “Father, forgive them they do
not know what they are doing.” And then, to the criminal
tradition calls Dismis, the Good Thief, Jesus said, “Today you
will be with me in paradise.”
His
focus was and is on others. He really does see the pain of others
and hurts for them, be it the servant of the high priest, Peter, the
Daughters of Jerusalem, or even a convicted criminal. He sees our
pain and hurts for us, whether that pain was imposed on us by others,
or whether we have hurt ourselves. Perhaps your children have
hurt you, or your parents. Perhaps your spouse knows how to push
your buttons, and does so. Or maybe its your brothers or sisters,
the neighbors, the people at work or at school. Maybe you are
still reeling from that guy, that girl, who played with your
heartstrings, then faded away, or quickly disappeared. Or maybe we have
hurt ourselves and gone where we should not have gone, done what we
should not have done, saw what we should not have seen, and perhaps now
we feel very bad about ourselves. Jesus does not want us
hurting. He calls us to give Him our pain and sin no more. That
is why he was crucified.
Today we look at the cross and know that the Compassionate One is
looking back. He sees the pain we have within us, our weakness,
our insecurities, our fears, our sins. He accepts the cross so
our pain can become His pain. He calls us to let go of all that is
destroying us and trust in His Compassionate Mercy.
By
His cross, we are healed. |
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* available in Spanish - see
Spanish homilies
Palm Sunday
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The
Good Thief
(March 28, 2010)
Bottom line: By meditating on the example of the good thief, we can
overcome bitterness - and grow in humility.
Welcome to Holy Week! We have just listened to St. Luke's account of
Jesus' suffering and death. I hope you will take time this week to
meditate on our Lord's Passion. One way of doing this is by reading the
account slowly and trying to identify with various people: In what way
am I like Peter? Or Pilate? Or Mary Magdalene?
As a help to meditating on the Passion, I would like to tell you about
a man identified with the good thief. It is a true story and it
contains an element of humor.
It happened that a missionary priest was saying Mass in a Peruvian
prison. A friend had sent him a couple hundred rosaries. The priest
knew that the prison help more than two hundred inmates, but he also
knew that some of them were political prisoners. He presumed that
because of their communist philosphy they would not want a rosary.
After finishing the Mass, the priest asked those who desired a rosary
to form a line. One by one he placed rosaries around their necks. The
line of prisoners, however, seemed to grow rather than diminish. When
he got to the last rosary, ten guys remained. The priest held up the
rosary and said, "I am sorry. I do not know what to do."
One of the prisoners said, "Padre, you have to give that rosary to me."
"Why?" The priest asked.
"Look, Father, I am thief. I admit it. That is why I am here." Then he
glanced toward those arrested for insurrection and said: "But I am not
like these political guys. I am an honest thief!"
Well, even the "political guys" laughed and the priest placed the
rosary over his head. He smiled, revealing his crooked teeth, then took
the crucifix of the rosary in his hand, raised it to his lips and
kissed it.
One of the two men crucified with Jesus was also an "honest thief." He
was brave enough to confess who he was. If we were honest, we would
also admit we had taken things that do not belong to us. You know, it
is not just the one who steals money or shoplifts who is a thief. The
person who has sex apart from marriage is taking something that does
not belong to him. Even if you call it "living together" it is still
stealing. The same with the husband who spends all his time with
buddies; he is robbing his wife and children. The person whose motto is
"shop till I drop" and who never thinks about the needy is stealing
from the poor. I could multiply examples until everyone here, including
the one speaking to you, recognizes he is a thief.
This is not a question of a "guilt trip." It's a simple matter of
saying to Jesus who we really are. The second criminal refused to do
that. All his life he had practiced "self-reliance." Now he had one
final opportunity to put aside that false self, to rely instead on God.
But he chose to mock Jesus. Perhaps he thought, "no one has a right to
judge me." He didn't realize the only just judge hung next to him.
It's possible to be so convinced of own rightness that we lose
everything. The first step requires courage and honesty to face who we
are. A good companion for us this Holy Week is the honest thief. The
Church recognizes "the good thief" as a saint - Saint Dismas. Like him,
we appeal to Jesus, "Remember me." (Lk 23:42)
With those words on our lips, we will make it to Easter Sunday. Imagine
what it would be like to hear: "today you will be with me in paradise."
No more struggles, no more tears, but forever with Jesus in the great
Communion of Saints.
If we say to Jesus, "remember me," we will have the final victory. As a
reminder of that victory, I encourage you to take home your blessed
palm branch. It symbolizes Christ's triumph. Place it behind the
crucifix in your bedroom or living room. It will remind you of the good
thief, who in great suffering also experienced great joy. By meditating
on his example, we can overcome bitterness - and grow in humility, even
in humor. Saint Dismas, pray for us.
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Intercessions for Palm Sunday, Year C (from Priests for Life)
Spanish Version
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Palm Sunday
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Palm Sunday
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Gospel
Summary Return to All Homilies
Mar, 28, 2010
Luke 22:14--23:56
Demetrius R. Dumm, O.S.B.
Palm Sunday of the Lord's Passion
Gospel Summary
The gospel for this Sunday is Luke's version of the passion and death
of Jesus. It begins with the Last Supper and the institution of the
Eucharist and then continues with the betrayal, the trials before
Caiphas and Pilate, and ends with the crucifixion. We recognize this
account as the climax of the mission of Jesus and yet it is almost too
much to comprehend. Moreover, the homily will need to be short in view
of the blessing of palms and the length of the gospel; hence the need
to look for the essential kernel of this story.
It is clear that the suffering of Jesus is the most prominent feature
of the passion story. However, it is necessary to insist that this
story is not primarily about suffering: it is about loving. It was
Jesus' love for us that brought him to his passion and early death, and
it was his love for us that opened the way for our redemption. The
suffering was a consequence of his loving. There are many kinds of
suffering, but only the suffering that comes from loving and remaining
faithful is redemptive.
Jesus insists on this when he "defines" himself at the Last Supper as
"body-broken-for-us" and as "blood-poured-out-for-us." And in the
verses that follow he separates himself from his bickering disciples
with the simple and profound statement, "I am among you as one who
serves" (22:27).
Life Implications
As Christian disciples of Jesus, we all need to pay close attention to
his wisdom and to guide our lives accordingly. Since we tend to be
repelled by images of suffering, there is a real danger that we will
become too selective in seeking that wisdom. In this way, we may miss
the whole point of the passion story.
Today's gospel is a clear reminder that the heart and soul of the
wisdom of Jesus is found in this story of his passion and death. Since
his suffering came from his unselfish loving, it follows that we must
try to discern the causes of our own suffering. Not all suffering comes
from loving. Indeed, it is far more likely to come from frustration or
disappointment because we cannot have everything we want.
To walk with the suffering Christ is to feel the pain that inevitably
accompanies the kind of love that sacrifices for the sake of others.
Good parents do this for their children and good children love and obey
their parents, even when it means giving up something they want. Good
teachers sacrifice for their students also. Loving presence can easily
mean a change of personal plans, so that a loving person is often
justified in saying, "My life is no longer my own".
The amazing thing about this kind of loving is that, though it is often
very painful, there is a joy in it also. This should not surprise us
because, after all, we were created to become free through the love of
others and then to convert that precious freedom into loving service.
Nothing is more compatible with our true nature as God's children than
this kind of loving…and nothing is finally more successful than the
resurrection victory that follows such generous and faithful concern
for others.
Demetrius R. Dumm, O.S.B.
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http://www.christusrex.org/www1/mcitl/lowhome.html Meeting Christ in the Liturgy
Palm Sunday
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Passion
(Palm) Sunday
Procession Gospel: St. Matthew 21, 1-11
Mass: Isaiah 50, 4-7; Psalm 22, 8-9. 17-18. 19-20. 23-24; Philippians
2. 6-11; St. Matthew 26, 14-27, 66.
Brothers and Sisters in Christ,
We prepare now with Christ to enter the holiest of weeks in which we
celebrate all of the events leading up to his passion, death and
burial. And in doing so we recall how by his death he has transformed
our death from a curse into the door of eternal life.
Death is transformed by Christ. Jesus, the Son of God, also himself
suffered the death that is part of the human condition. Yet, despite
his anguish as he faced death, he accepted it in an act of complete and
free submission to his Father's will. (Cf. Mk 14:33-34; Heb 5:7-8) The
obedience of Jesus has transformed the curse of death into a blessing.
(Cf. Rom 5:19-21) (CCC 1009)
With the procession of palms which begins today's Mass, we celebrate
Christ's entrance into Jerusalem to accomplish his paschal mystery.
Those who today acclaim him king, and cry "Hosannah!", will days hence
demand he die as a criminal. On Holy Thursday we will take part in a
re-enactment of the foot-washing of the Apostles, the twelve men chosen
as foundation stones of the Church. To them Christ gave the gift of
Christian priesthood and through them he has handed down to us the
perfect memorial of his suffering and death in the Eucharistic
sacrifice. We will honor our Lord's gift of his Body and Blood as we
carry the Blessed Sacrament in procession following Thursday's solemn
liturgy of "The Lord's Supper." We will remain in silent adoration
until midnight.
On Good Friday we enter more fully into the death of the Lord in our
celebration of the Passion.We are strengthened to face our own death as
we accompany our Lord on the via crucis, the way of the cross. We join
ourselves to the obedience of the Son that we may also obey the
Father's will and die a truly "Christian death."
It is in regard to death that man's condition is most shrouded in
doubt.'[GS 18.] In a sense bodily death is natural, but for faith it is
in fact 'the wages of sin.'(Rom 6:23 ;) (cf. Gen 2:17 .) For those who
die in Christ's grace it is a participation in the death of the Lord,
so that they can also share his Resurrection.(Cf. Rom 6:3-9 ; Phil
3:10-11 .) (CCC 1006)
Because of Christ, Christian death has a positive meaning: 'For to me
to live is Christ, and to die is gain.' (Phil 1:21) 'The saying is
sure:" if we have died with him, we will also live with him." ' (2 Tim
2:11) What is essentially new about Christian death is this: through
Baptism, the Christian has already 'died with Christ' sacramentally, in
order to live a new life; and if we die in Christ's grace, physical
death completes this 'dying with Christ' and so completes our
incorporation into him in his redeeming act." (CCC 1010)
This day in particular is appropriate for the celebration of the
sacrament of Penance. We will adore the holy cross and remain until
midnight in silent contemplation of the glorious Son of God who "reigns
from the wood".
Holy Saturday with its silence bespeaks the breathless waiting of a
world yet held in bondage to ferocious death. The faithful are tested
as they persevere in hope for the Lord of life to manifest himself and
give light to all men. No liturgy is celebrated on Holy Saturday, for
Christ's Church cannot pray except through the living Christ. We watch
and wait at the silent tomb with our Lady and the other faithful ones
who have not abandoned Jesus.
To rise with Christ, we must die with Christ: we must 'be away from the
body and at home with the Lord.' (2 Cor 5:8) In that 'departure' which
is death the soul is separated from the body. (Cf. Phil 1:23) It will
be reunited with the body on the day of resurrection of the dead. (CCC
1005)
St. Leo the Great, pope, speaks compellingly of the mysteries of Holy
Week:
"True reverence for the Lord's passion means fixing the eyes of our
heart on Jesus crucified and recognizing in him our own humanity. The
earth-our earthly nature- should tremble at the suffering of its
Redeemer. The rocks-the hearts of unbelievers- should burst asunder.
The dead, imprisoned in the tombs of their mortality, should come
forth, the massive stones now ripped apart. Foreshadowings of the
future resurrection should appear in the holy city, the Church of God:
what is to happen to our bodies should now take place in our hearts."
(Liturgy of the Hours, Thursday, Fourth Week of Lent)
I look forward to meeting you here again next week as, together, we
"meet Christ in the liturgy", Father Cusick
(Publish with permission.) http://www.christusrex.org/www1/mcitl/
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Palm Sunday
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Sermon by Father Alex McAllister SDS Index
Palm Sunday of Year C
Today we commemorate the hour when Jesus entered the Holy City of
Jerusalem for the last time. This Holy City was to be the place where
his ministry on earth would be brought to its culmination, to its
cataclysmic and glorious conclusion.
Here he would suffer and die and rise again. Here would take place the
most significant events in the whole history of the world. Here the Son
of God would bring about the salvation of mankind. Here God would visit
his people and let his glory be made manifest.
But what did those simple people know who cut down their palms, spread
their cloaks in the road and waved and cheered as Christ passed in the
street.
They knew something great was about to happen to Jesus who was real a
hero to them—someone who had always stuck up for the poor and cured
them of all their ills. If they were going to have a King then who
better to have this wise, sincere and holy man than a despot like the
ones they were so used to.
They did not know that something much greater was to happen. They did
not know that they were participating in events which would transform
the world forever. And yet there they are in the streets cheering and
waving their palms.
For the 1977th time the Church commemorates the entry of Christ into
Jerusalem. We do so in a much more sober way than those people of
Jerusalem whom we attempt to imitate. But the joy in our hearts is no
less sincere since it is based in the knowledge of what came after;
those earth shattering events whose consequences uniquely reverberate
both backwards and forwards through time.
We rejoice, but we do so in a quiet way because today in our liturgy
and in our personal prayer we begin that terrible last journey together
with Jesus. We follow him every inch of the way from the gates of
Jerusalem, to the Upper Room, to the Garden of Gethsemane, to the steps
of the Praetorium, to the hill of Calvary and then to the tomb in the
garden where he gloriously rose from the dead.
This greatest journey of all begins today with the entry of Jesus into
the Holy City of Jerusalem. It was in those days already a Holy City
since it contained the Temple built at the command of God. But by that
triumphant entry and the events of the next week it was to become even
holier.
But this was a holiness that could not be contained by those gates; the
events that occurred there transformed the world and have made each
place a holy place and each person a redeemed child of God.
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Father Bonar will not be posting homilies for Cycle B to allow himself
time for other projects. His collection of homilies (including homilies
for Cycle B) is available at www.clydebonar.com.
Palm Sunday |
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homilies may be copied and adapted for your own use;
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