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March 22, 2024Dear Parishioners,
This Sunday we observe Passion Sunday, or what we popularly call “Palm Sunday” because of the tradition of distributing palm branches at Sunday Masses. At each Sunday Mass we recall how Christ entered Jerusalem to the adulation and praise of the crowd, who placed their cloaks and branches before him, honoring his arrival. The liturgy cautions us almost immediately, however, as the crowd’s warm reception of Jesus proved to be short lived and fickle. As the Liturgy of the Word unfolds, darkness begins to descend, culminating in the solemn reading of the Passion Narrative from one of the three synoptic Gospels, Matthew, Mark, or Luke. This year we hear the events of the Lord’s arrest, passion, and death according to Mark.
Reading a recent commentary on this Gospel, I was struck by the following passage:
We have not fathomed even yet the full depths of the meaning of Jesus’ suffering and death, though the main lines are clear. And we shall never understand fully, no doubt, unless we too are called to share his baptism and drink his cup. But the Christian martyrs in the Roman arena, in Mark’s day, knew what the death of Jesus meant. They drank his cup -- to its very dregs. And they likewise knew "the power of his resurrection." "They were put to death with exquisite cruelty," says Tacitus, "and to their sufferings Nero added mockery and derision. Some were covered with the skins of wild beasts, and left to be devoured by dogs; others were nailed to the cross; numbers were burnt alive; and many, covered with inflammable matter, were lighted up, when the day declined, to serve as torches during the night." (Annals 15.44, tr. Murphy.) These were the men and women who handed down the story of Jesus’ death -- the old Roman passion narrative underlying Mark’s account in chapters 14 and 15. What it meant to them is probably something we shall never guess, unless we too stand someday in the same desperate place of utter need, and cry out for sympathy and compassion to One who himself faced all the blind, venomous hatred, the implacable, vindictive fury of brute, senseless power, and pray, with them and with the martyr Stephen, "Lord Jesus, receive my spirit." - Frederick C. Grant
As we recount our Lord’s Passion once again this Sunday, I am reminded to pray for the many who share in his suffering around our world in our time. One needs only take a glance at the headlines each day to come up with quite a list. This Sunday reminds us that God is not distant from his suffering people, but has instead chosen to take his place among them. Let’s make the effort this weekend to seek out those who are sharing in Christ’s Passion who walk among us. Following our Lord’s example, may we not run from the cross, but do what we can to help our brothers and sisters who struggle under its weight. For we know that it is in the sharing of burdens with Our Lord and with one another is the way of love that leads to eternal life. Know of my prayers for you and your families throughout this Holy Week.
