Today is Palm Sunday, Holy Week begins…We read in the Gospel from St Luke how Jesus is abandoned, tried by a kangaroo court, convicted and killed…In reading this narrative this morning, one can see human nature on full display…In 2000 years nothing has changed…But what also has not changed is the path laid out for us by the man who showed us the way…We must embrace the Cross!…There is no other way…And if we do, our life will speak…This is within the grasp of each of us…The second readings at Mass from St Paul also lays out the “blueprint”, which must propel us forward…
“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, even death on a cross. Because of this, God greatly exalted him and bestowed on him the name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bend, of those in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.”
If you are not familiar with this passage…Read it again!…..This is who Jesus was, summed up in a few lines…And this is who we must become….Simple…Humble….Obedient….And a servant to all…This is the Cross…This is the path to life. In reading the Gospel today, something about St Peter also jumped out at me…I love St Peter, he is a strong man, he puts his “foot in his mouth” a lot…But he has the best of intentions…He also admits when he is wrong and never quits!…There is an exchange between St Peter and Jesus that I want to bring to your attention....……"Simon, Simon, behold Satan has demanded to sift all of you like wheat, but I have prayed that your own faith may not fail; and once you have turned back, you must strengthen your brothers." He said to him, "Lord, I am prepared to go to prison and to die with you." But he replied, "I tell you, Peter, before the cock crows this day, you will deny three times that you know me”……..St Peter had the best of intentions, but his big mistake was relied upon his own strengthen…A lesson is to be learned here for all of us!…We must rely on grace and not on our self…..And when we do….Great things will happen…Great things!…As we all know…St Peter fails Jesus, but that was not the end of the story…St Peter repents…And he fulfills what he was called to do from the very beginning…”Once you have turned back, you must strengthen your brothers”
“I will proclaim your name to my brethren; in the midst of the assembly I will praise you: "You who fear the LORD, praise him; all you descendants of Jacob, give glory to him; revere him, all you descendants of Israel!"
Holy Week has begun…Jesus enters Jerusalem as a king and he exits as a criminal…A great lesson can be learned from this week…..The week begins with cheers…”Hosanna”…And the week ends with “Crucify him”…..What can we learn from this?…..We must live for an audience of one!…..The only opinion that matters is God’s opinion….This brings us right back to St Paul in the second reading from Mass….When we embrace “the Cross”…No other opinion matters…And when we do that…..We will accomplish the task at hand……
“The Lord GOD has given me a well-trained tongue, that I might know how to speak to the weary a word that will rouse them. Morning after morning he opens my ear that I may hear; and I have not rebelled, have not turned back. I gave my back to those who beat me, my cheeks to those who plucked my beard; my face I did not shield from buffets and spitting. The Lord GOD is my help, therefore I am not disgraced; I have set my face like flint, knowing that I shall not be put to shame.”
Dare to be great and God will accomplish great things through you….But only if we empty ourself and drink of the bitter cup…”The Cross” stares us in the face…”Stare it down” and march forward!
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