Luke 22: 14 - 23:56
The Word: https://bible.usccb.org/bible/readings/041022.cfm
Friends, we live in unprecedented times. Seemingly out of nowhere this enemy, the
virus, had invaded our lives and caused an entire shut down of the world. And
now we face two warring Nations: one lead by an evil aggressor who apparently
knows no bounds as he authorizes the infliction of suffering, death,
destruction on an innocent people. So,
as we witness the forces of good and evil in battle we turn out hearts to this Sunday
and Holy Week. The story of Jesus’ passion
and death is the ultimate moment in the battle of good vs. evil and an evil
conquered by Christ in the resurrection.
Although we come to celebrate the death and resurrection
of Christ each Sunday and then to be fed by the power of his Word and in
particular by taste and fulfilled spiritual hunger to receive someone – our
Lord Jesus Christ whose Body and Blood are given to us. The presence of the physical community in the
reception of the Eucharist recalls for us those Jesus who last shared with his
Apostles on that night of the Last Supper.
This week ahead of us is made holy by the generous love
of a God who cares enough about his creation to love it into life, in
particular humanity, is a tenet of our faith that is at the very foundation of
who we are. In this time of particular
challenge may we identify with the emotions of our Lord whose trusted friends
abandoned him at the most critical time of his earthly life. We may feel somewhat alone and we may say
that we join that experience to the isolation Jesus felt as he was arrested in
the Garden and faced the trial ahead. Yet, that seeming despair was overcome by
the Resurrection that we know even now lies ahead for us. And so this week
begins, made holy by the outpouring of the sacrifice of Christ on the cross.
"Christ Jesus, though he was in the form of God
did not regard equality with God something to be grasped.
Rather he emptied himself, taking the form of a slave,
coming in human likeness; and found human in appearance,
he humbled himself, becoming obedient to the point of death . . ."
(from: Philipians 2: 6-11)
The beautiful reading above is taken from the second
reading on this "Palm Sunday of the Lord's Passion." It begins in
triumph and praise but quickly turns to darkness, betrayal, arrest, blatant
injustice, humiliation, suffering and death.
Our reading from the Gospel of Luke, our Lord's Passion is a long and
dramatic narrative filled with conflict and emotion.
I often let these powerful services speak for
themselves. There is little I can add
and through their ritual, they inspire and move us to gratitude, repentance and
conversion. Holy Thursday calls for some
reflection for sure as the gift of the Holy Eucharist, the command to give
ourselves to humble service is portrayed through the washing of feet and the
Priesthood is established by our Lord as he extends his authority to his
Apostles: "Do this in remembrance of me."
Jesus not only gave his Apostles the authority to pass on
this meal as a memorial of his sacrifice but gave the Church as a whole a
profound and mysterious gift - his very body and blood offered for us. The
Eucharist is not a thing but a person; it should never be referred to as
receiving “a wafer.” God himself who took on our sinful nature, whose life was
sacrificed for the forgiveness of sin and our eternal salvation is present
body, blood, soul, and divinity under the simple signs of bread and wine.
But I feel this weekend and Good Friday stand on their
own with little need for further commentary.
The ancient ritual indeed speaks to us.
Then of course the resurrection of our Lord and the birth
of new Christians through the sacraments of Baptism, Confirmation and Eucharist
is cause for great joy and reflection. We welcome to the faith our elect and
our catechumens this year at the vigil as Christians have done for centuries
since the time of the Apostles. The joy of those newly baptized, confirmed and
professed in the Church and their experience of the Eucharist is deeply
contagious for us all. There are a million reasons to rejoice with them.
The challenge is, of course, to approach these high holy
days in the right spirit. The opening prayer of the Mass for this Sunday can be
a beautiful personal prayer that can be recited. May the Holy Spirit be our inspiration and
open our hearts to the mystery and joy of this week ahead.
Peace and prayers as we join together in this holiest of
weeks.
Almighty ever-living God,
who as an example of humility for the
human race to follow caused our Savior
to take flesh and submit to the Cross,
graciously grant that we may heed his lesson
of patient suffering and so merit
a share in his Resurrection.
(Collect of Passion Sunday Mass)
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