Palm Sunday at Mississippi Abbey

Scripture Readings: Is 50:4-7; Phil 2:6-11; Mt 26:14-27:66

Today we have heard of Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem and we will soon hear about the tragic reversal of that event in His passion and death. The crowd will turn on Him. He will become the one “done-to.” Because He is the victim, we might miss a key point of the story: His passion began because He allowed it to begin. He allowed it because He had an all-important mission to accomplish. He used His freedom to make the Father known by pursuing the good of others for the others own sake.

Why did the crowd – “His own” – turn on Him? It was because they refused to believe that He was “of God.” In short, it came from a personal experience of each person. The shape of that experience is intended to be a sense of utter dependence on God for everything we are… or hope to become. It is an experience of poverty of spirit.

The alternative to that experience that we see in the passion story is scapegoating: “It is better for one man to die for the people…” Scapegoating is identifying someone who is an obstacle to our becoming. We then eliminate the person.

It is done without any conscious awareness that we are doing it. We don’t want to acknowledge that we need to be saved. Perhaps that is why poverty of spirit is the first beatitude.

For each of us there comes a time when the certainties that have guided us in the past are unable to sustain us in a present crisis. The “fight or flight” instinct will overrule our ability to think clearly and value truthfully. But it does not eliminate a life of faith. We still need a savior.

I emphasize “we”. A community is like the spokes on a wagon wheel: The further members are from the center, the further they are apart; the closer they are to the center, the closer they are together. The center is their savior. The passion stories that we hear this week will teach us a very important lesson: those persons or communities who use scapegoats do not need a Savior.

 

Palm Sunday at Mississippi Abbey

Scripture Readings: Is 50:4-7; Phil 2:6-11; Mt 26:14-27:66

Our Lenten season began with the gospel account of Jesus’ three temptations in the wilderness. We recall that He handled those quite readily and easily. Today we will see a different side of Jesus when He is tested or tempted. In Gethsemane He falls to the ground laden with anxiety. It is His most personal and private moment. It is here that we see the character of Jesus; we see what He is devoted to for its own sake.

His reaction to testing is not so readily and easily handled. He feels sorrow and distress. The spirit is willing, but the flesh,

His natural human inclination to self-preservation, is weak. He struggles to impose reason over emotion.

We can learn from His three-step method for dealing with fear in Gethsemane. He first petitions the Father, the source of power.Jesus prays before the emotions reach a high point where they might be impossible to rationally control.Secondly, He seeks the comfort of His disciples. He doesn’t get it. But He exposes His demons to others and thereby saps their strength. The Third part of His method is thatHe returns to the core of His character: the sustained attention or devotion to the Father. He delays the rise of fear by remaining in prayer until His betrayer arrives.

The result is the ability to say, “Not My will, but Yours be done.”

 

                                                                                                                                    

 

Palm Sunday at Mississippi Abbey

[Scripture Readings: Is 50:4-7; Phil 2:6-11 Lk 19:28-40 ]

For the past five weeks of Lent we have been preparing to celebrate the mystery of Christ's passion, death and resurrection. Today we celebrate the mystery of Christ's triumphant procession into Jerusalem.

Palm Sunday is also called Passion Sunday. It is both. Because the palms we carry today will be replaced by reeds with which to strike Christ during his passion. Our Hosannas will be turned into cries of mockery. Jesus enters the city as Messiah and King riding on a donkey. But he will leave it as a criminal carrying his cross. Peter's promise to stand fast will give way to a triple denial. The friendship of Judas will turn to a kiss of betrayal.

As we come together this morning to joyfully honor Jesus as King and Messiah, let us be mindful of our weakness, our ability for treachery, and ask him for the grace to rise when we fall.

After carrying our palm branches in procession to the altar, they bend low and are laid at the foot of the cross. One way or another everyone must bend low, in honor or dishonor. Judas bent down before thirty-one pieces of silver. Peter bent down at the accusing words of a maid. Pilate bent down before the demands of a crowd. But others bent down in reverence. Simon of Cyrene bent down to carry the cross of Christ. The good thief humbled himself by acknowledging his crimes and asking for the mercy of Jesus. The centurion at the foot of the cross bent down at the death of Jesus and honored him as Son of God. Joseph of Arimathea bent down to carry the body of Christ to his own tomb. Let us ask for the grace to be like these all of those who bend in reverence at the foot of the cross. For if we die with Christ we shall rise with him.

Palm Sunday at Mississippi Abbey

[Scripture Readings: Is 50:4-7; Phil 2:6-11 Mk 11:`1-10

(Palm Sunday Greeting) The Lord be with you.

For the past five weeks of Lent we have been preparing to celebrate the mystery of Christ’s passion, death and resurrection. Today we begin by celebrating the mystery of Christ’s triumphant procession into Jerusalem.

The Lectionary calls today Palm Sunday. The Sacramentary calls today Passion Sunday. It is both. Because the palms we carry today will become reeds with which to strike Christ during his passion. Our Hosannas will be turned into cries of mockery. Jesus will enter the city as Messiah and King riding on a donkey. But he will leave it as a criminal carrying his cross. Peter’s promise to stand fast will give way to a triple denial. The friendship of Judas will turn to a kiss of betrayal. A young man wrapped in a white sheet will be stripped of all dignity and flee away naked.

As we come together to joyfully honor Jesus as King and Messiah, let us be mindful of our weakness, our ability for treachery, and ask him for the grace to rise when we fall.

One Sunday a little girl, about four and a half years old, went to church with her grandparents. She sat between them, playing with the lace on her pretty dress. She heard the priest say that Jesus died for our sins. Startled, she looked up at her grandfather and asked, “Is Jesus dead?” He patted her knee and quietly reassured her, “It’s okay honey, Jesus died but he came back to life. He’s alive.” She smiled and began swinging her legs back and forth underneath the pew. Then she heard the priest say, “Even your parents will die.” She looked at her grandfather in alarm and asked in a trembling voice, “Are my parents dying?” “No, no,” he replied, “Not your parents. They’re still young and strong and very healthy. They’re just fine. They won’t die for a long time.” She repeated, “My parents aren’t dying. They’re young and healthy.” Then she caught her grandfather off guard: “Grandpa, you and Grandma are very old and often sick. You are dying.” This left him speechless. He looked at Grandma with pleading eyes to come to his rescue. Before she could say anything, the little girl reflected out loud, “Jesus isn’t dead. He came back. He’s alive, but he’s still on the cross.”

In all our churches and in our homes we keep images of Jesus on the cross before our eyes, but not images of his resurrection. Why? Because even though Jesus died and rose from the dead, he is still on the cross in the members of his body. Whenever one of his members suffers, Jesus suffers. He continues to suffer until everyone has risen with him. This week we enter into the mystery of the Lord’s passion, death and resurrection. But it is also about our life in Christ who continues to share in our own suffering and dying.

We will take our palms in procession to the altar and there our palms will bend low to be placed at the foot of the cross. One way or another everyone must bend low, in honor or dishonor. Judas bent down before thirty-one pieces of silver. Peter bent down at the accusing words of a maid. Pilate bent down before the demands of a crowd. But others bent down in reverence. Simon of Cyrene bent down to carry the cross of Christ. The centurion at the foot of the cross bent down at the death of Jesus and honored him as Son of God. Joseph of Arimathea bent down to carry the body of Christ to his own tomb. Let us ask for the grace to be like these palms that will bend in reverence at the foot of the cross. For if we die with him we shall rise with him.

Let us now go forth in peace, praising Jesus our Messiah, by whose sufferings and death we are saved.