May the Passion Lead Us to Love
This Sunday is Palm or Passion Sunday. And it is good, I think, to hold both of those titles together. To say “Palm Sunday,” we remember Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem, accompanied by the praises of the crowds, hoping that Jesus was the Messiah. When we say “Passion Sunday,” we remember all the suffering Jesus endured for our salvation, and how the same crowds who greeted him as king were now calling for Him to be crucified.
As I was thinking about what message needed to be said to “the weary (See the first reading: Isaiah 50:4-7), I was thinking about all those things that make us weary in our world today: hate, fear, greed, despair, self-centeredness, indifference.
Where do wee see hate in the account of the Passion of Jesus? We see it in the chief priests and the elders of the people, who conspired to put Jesus to death. We see it in the people, who were so easily turned against Jesus. Where do we see fear? We see it in Pilate who washed his hands, trying to free himself from responsibility for the death of Jesus, but afraid to go against the crowd. We see it in Peter who was scared of what might happen to him, and so denied that he even knew Jesus.
Where do we see greed? We see it in Judas who asked how much the chief priests would give him to hand over Jesus. We also see in Judas despair. When he has remorse over what he has done, he sees no way back to Jesus, and kills himself.
Where do we see self-centeredness? We see it in the logic of those who mocked Him on the Cross: He saved others; he cannot save himself. So he is the king of Israel! Let him come down from the cross now, and we will believe in him.” They’ll only believe if He saves Himself? Where do we see indifference? We see it in the chief priests who, when Judas, full of remorse, tries to return the thirty pieces of silver, say to him, “What is that to us? Look to it yourself.” Judas has served his purpose for them. There is no real concern for him.
Where do we see love? In Jesus, willing to follow the Father’s will, even when anguish almost overcame Him, and pouring out His Body and Blood for us! We see love in the women who looked on from a distance. We see it in Joseph of Arimathea, who provided for Jesus’ burial.
There are many voices out there, some of them claiming things in Jesus’ name. But when their message involves hate and fear and greed, I have a good idea that their message is a false one. It’s not that I am immune to hate or fear or greed. I am not. But by the love and grace of God demonstrated in the Passion of Jesus, I don’t have to live in hate or fear or greed. Even though Peter wept after he realized what he had done, he did not give up as Judas did. Humbled, and having received the Holy Spirit, he went out proclaiming the Good news of Jesus Christ.
May the greatest sign of God’s love, the Passion of Jesus, lead us away from hate and fear and towards love and a desire for justice for all of God’s beloved.
In Christ and Him Crucified,
Phil, CP
