Palm Sunday of the Lord’s Passion

Lent VI: Palm Sunday in the Lord’s Passion 2016 – Cycle C Isaiah 50:4-7; Psalm 22; Philippians 2:6-11; Luke 22:14 – 23:56

The Passion – the Suffering – of Our Lord Jesus Christ. But is that what this story is really about, the sufferings of Jesus? Reflect and deeply call to mind.

“..the hand of the person who is to betray me is with me at the table…” Have you ever betrayed anyone? It often happens in seemingly insignificant ways. You join in the laughter and gossip in regard to a friend, a spouse or co-worker. You don’t want to be seen as an outsider so you remain silent and not speak up in their defense. Harmless? Do you remember the feelings of trust draining from you, wondering if you could ever trust yourself? The fear and energy expended worrying if you were to be found out? What do we obtain by our betrayals? Betrayal is a suffering that strips away dignity; the dignity of the betrayed and our own self-worth.

“an argument broke out among the disciples about which of them should be regarded as the greatest.”

How much time have we spent jealously guarding our perceived power over others? How many bodies have we walked over to get where we think we want to get in life? How often have we built ourselves up by tearing other people down? It is effective as evidenced in the present political debates with the bullying, the name calling, and the insults. Jealousy is said to be green; a putrid, rotting colour – a suffering resulting in the death of people, ourselves and others.

“Lord, look, there are two swords here.” Later we hear: “Lord, shall we strike with the sword?” We have created quite a violent world, haven’t we? How quickly do we resort to violence; verbal, physical, weapons, anger, silence – the sword comes in many forms. And yet we refuse to have a common sense discussion about gun control, about race relations, about the use of drugs in our country that support the  cartels of Latin America raining down violence upon children and families that we will not let cross our borders. Why do we have the largest number of incarcerated people in the world? Why is so much of our entertainment images of violence? People in pain tend to lash out in pain. What is the suffering deep within our nation and the world?

“…and one of them struck the servant of the high priest and cut off his right ear.” What are the consequences of many of our judgments and knee jerk reactions? What people have been hurt? What suffering have we caused?

“and Jesus turned and looked at Peter; and he remembered the word of the Lord, “…you will deny me three times”. Peter went out and began to weep bitterly.” How many tears are shed each day throughout our world? Tears that cry out against injustice. Tears that weep for the dead. Tears of frustration at the lack of compassion and care. Tears of children who are hungry. Tears from the loss of innocence. Tears from physical pain, sickness and infirmity. Tears at the loss of our dreams and hopes. Tears that wash away our sins.

“..many women mourned and lamented Jesus. He said to them: “Daughters of Jerusalem, weep instead for yourselves and for your children…””

How many women and children bear the heavy burden of the world’s poverty, war and terrorism, rape, and hunger? The suffering of children and women is one of the great wounds on the body of humanity.

“they crucified Jesus and the criminals…”

Who would ever think that in the 21st century humanity would again talk of crucifixion? Yet as we rail self-righteously against ISIS, we stand virtually alone unwilling to abandon capital punishment as a nation. As we claim being a Christian country we refuse the hard work of restoration and healing to the life of perpetrators, victims and society as Jesus taught. We lament the death of Jesus and are oblivious that he continues to die in every murder victim, in every execution, in every act of war and terrorism. He dies in the withering of the soul of every perpetrator of violence and in those who keep silence. A crucifixion of the world.

The Passion – the Suffering – of Our Lord Jesus Christ? I think not. Are we not bearing witness in this story to The Passion – the Suffering – of Humanity: the betrayals, the violence, the burdens, the hurts, the inactions and the actions, the emotional and physical pain and suffering, the tears, “the living and partly living”*?

ABC’s Wide World of Sports years ago introduced its programming as “spanning the globe to bring you the constant variety of sport”. The famous tag line was to see “the thrill of victory, and the agony of defeat”. Luke records that Jesus was in agony and what he meant was the thrill of victory. Jesus is not suffering in Luke’s Garden of Gethsemane but making final preparations, psyching himself up, energizing himself as athletes do before competition. Jesus is preparing to encounter humanity’s suffering and conquer it. He heals the ear of the servant of the high priest, a victim of violence. A look of Jesus pierces the fearful heart of Peter so that he is cleansed by his own tears. He breaks through our silence in the face of violence shouting: “It is enough!” and “Stop, no more of this!” Jesus’ presence singularly renews the friendship between the former enemies, Herod and Pilate. Jesus sympathizes with the least of our world seen in the women of Jerusalem. He forgives his executions and offers an excuse for all humanity: “they do not know what they are doing”. Jesus heals and offers wholeness to the life of a guilty criminal with a promise of eternity.

Paul sings that Jesus emptied himself [See Philippians 2:6-11]; emptied himself so that he could be filled with the pain and suffering of this world. Thus The Passion – the Suffering – of Humanity becomes The Passion – the Suffering – of Our Lord Jesus Christ.

*T.S.Eliot, Murder in the Cathedral