“The Way of The Cross” Continues Today
2023년 4월 2일“The Way of The Cross” Continues Today
< Palm Sunday of the Passion of the Lord >
Jesus enters Jerusalem, not as a conquering warrior riding on a fine horse, but in the form of a humble servant seated on a lowly donkey. He is not fooled by the joyous crowd waving palm branches and hailing him as a king. He knows that in a few days a different crowd will be calling for him to be crucified. Jesus is neither swayed nor controlled by popular opinion. His mission is to establish the reign of God here on earth by demonstrating that love is stronger than hate, mercy is more powerful than vengeance, and life is greater than death. He will do this by dying on the cross for us. It is very significant that the people in church today read aloud the parts of the crowd, today it’s “Hosanna!” but on Friday it will be “Crucify him!” It’s significant because throughout our lives we do, in fact, play both parts. Sometimes we praise Jesus, at other times we act or talk as if he don’t know him. But, do you know what? That’s okay! For, as St. Paul reminds us, it is while we were sinners that Christ died for us.
Let us enter into this Holy Week mindful that sometime in our lifetime, maybe even several times in our lifetime, we will play most of the parts that we hear about in the reading of the Passion. We will be the overeager yet clueless disciples, or we will be the stubborn and impetuous Peter, who will deny knowing Jesus. Perhaps we might even play the part of Judas, who betrayed Jesus because he wasn’t the Savior we expected. We celebrate Holy Week answering God’s call to enter into a relationship with the Lord. The lesson of Holy Week is as simple as it is profound. No matter what he do, no matter what sin we commit, God will always love us and stands ready to forgive us—- if only we are ready to love and forgive ourselves. May the grace of this holy time transform our lives that we might more clearly reflect the light and love of Christ to our sad and suffering world.