This Palm Sunday

This Palm Sunday, March 24, my daughter Rochelle will celebrate her 52nd birthday.  She was born with a myriad of problems and we were told to put her in an institution and forget about her and get on with our lives. How I had longed for this baby girl and never for a moment did I think she wasn’t a gift.

The advice of that pediatrician was harsh, in keeping with the times, but unthinkable.  I would not leave her orphaned; I would not give her up.  When I decided to follow Jesus I knew without a word of a doubt He would be at my side.  I knew He would help and guide me.  I had no idea what we would encounter, what barriers would be presented, what hurdles we would need to jump.  But I believed that Jesus does not make junk and that all life has value and we would do whatever was needed to support her life.

Her birth for me was the triumphant entry into my life path of following Jesus. Rochelle began my Holy week and my commitment to caring for her in the best way I knew how. I knew that with the power of the Holy Spirit and the assistance of my beliefs we would succeed.  For over 50 years we have been a team, breaking barriers and showing others what God can do if you are open.  Her life has been very challenging, but she has been a leader, she has taught so many others countless lessons.  She has been my greatest teacher in life. Often those considered by many in society as “bụi đời”, (less than dust is the translation) those who live undervalued by society give us the servant leaders our direction. My mother gave a poem to me many years ago that reads.

God hatH not promised skies ever blue

Flower-strewn pathways all our lives through

God hath not promised sun without rain,

Joy without sorrow, Peace without pain.

But he hath promised Strength for each day.

Rest after labour, Light for our way

Grace for all trials, Help from above

Unfailing sympathy and undying love.           

Jesus tells us,

What does it profit a man to gain the whole world and forfeit his soul?  Mark 8:36

Whoever wants to be my disciple must deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me.  Matthew 16:24

-Grace King, CSJ Associate

Image: Tim Mossholder/Unsplash

Palm Sunday: Ancient Prophecy and Personal Remembrance

The Gospel of Matthew is chosen today by the Church to begin the Holy Week events leading to Jesus’ death and resurrection.  I have been reading about the juxtaposition of personal episodes that happened to Jesus as witnessed by the apostles and are rooted in the words of the Old Testament and its prophets concerning the Messiah who would appear.

In the Palm Sunday experience, Matthew explains that Jesus, heading to Jerusalem, reached Bethphage and called for a donkey and colt in the village ahead of them. As he rode through the town, the crowds spread palm branches on the road and hailed him “Son of David! Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord!”

After Jesus’ death, the disciples remembered the amazing happening along the route and recalled the ancient Prophet saying, “Tell the daughter of Zion, ‘Look, your king is coming to you, humble, and mounted on a donkey and on a colt, the foal of a donkey.’”

During the reading of Palm Sunday’s Passion narrative, Matthew includes in his Gospel several other incidents that happened the day before Jesus’ crucifixion.  Later recalling them and realizing that these events were rooted in the prophets solidified forever that Jesus was indeed the promised Messiah.

Pointing to his disciples dispersing and hiding in fear after the Last Supper, Jesus spoke of a prophecy matching their behavior: “You will all become deserters because of me this night; for it is written, ‘I will strike the shepherd and the sheep of the flock will be scattered.’ But after I am raised up, I will go ahead of you to Galilee.’” No doubt due to fear, it was some time after the crucifixion that the disciples remembered the prophecy to which Jesus had referred.

After Judas betrayed Jesus with a kiss and thirty pieces of silver, Matthew writes that Judas repented but hanged himself.  After conferring, the chief priests used the money to buy the potter’s field as a place to bury foreigners. Then was fulfilled what had been spoken through the Prophet Jeremiah, “And they took the thirty pieces of silver… and gave them for the potter’s field.”

Gospel writers Mark, Luke and John also quoted Old Testament prophecies to validate that Jesus is indeed the Messiah.  The written word of the Gospel, eyewitness accounts, the prophetic word of the Old Testament prophets and the fulfillment of the prophetic word give authenticity to Jesus as Messiah.

-Sister Jean Moylan, CSJ

---

Image: Unsplash/Brooke Lark

Palm Sunday

Who doesn’t love a parade? So much coming together to prepare (Luke 19: 28-40), to celebrate an event or accomplishment with colour, singing and cheering. In ancient times parades also included the use of palms to prepare the way for those being celebrated and loud Hosannas rang out. Palm branches, which symbolized goodness, wellbeing, grandeur, steadfastness and/or victory, were strewn before the celebrated persons. And so it was fitting that after all the wonders of Jesus’ public life he was welcomed to Jerusalem in exactly that manner.     

This Palm Sunday the readings drawn me to journey with the apostles. (Philippians 2:6-11, Luke 22: 14, 23-56)

They must have been so excited and engaged as they witnessed Jesus’ amazing welcome. Suddenly they would have been in a daze - things started to change in frightening ways. Over the Passover dinner Jesus tells them how eager He was to eat this Passover with them before He “suffers”. He invites them to take bread and wine “in memory” of Him. What did He mean “suffer” and where was He going? Jesus asks them to become servants and then confers on them a kingdom like the one his Father conferred on him. Servants, really? What kingdom? They were told Satan would sift them, but Jesus prayed their faith would not fail. Peter, ever the man of action, confirmed his faith by saying he would go to prison or die for Jesus. Quickly he heard the prediction from Jesus that he would in fact deny Jesus three times. Then Judas who was found to be planning to betray Jesus left the dinner only to return later to hand Jesus over for persecution. And then the unthinkable happened, Jesus was led away, tortured, and crucified. All of this happened within two days. No wonder they ran away, no wonder they were frightened. They had no time to process, to think through their responses and no time to pray. They had no idea how the story ended but we do.

Sadly, stories of injustice, persecution and death abound today. As apostles, how do we respond? Running away, putting heads in the sand or hiding the truth are not options for those of faith. Finding strength in faith, in communion with others and through compassionate action is where I hope to find myself.

How about you?

-Maureen Condon

Header Image: Unsplash/Brooke Lark

Becoming the new palm for next year's ashes

The greeting prayed before the Palm Sunday procession reads … “since the beginning of Lent until now we have prepared our hearts by penance and charitable works. Today we gather together to herald with the whole church the beginning of the celebration of Our Lord’s Paschal mystery…” It seems such a short time ago that as I stepped outside the side door of the Hamilton residence the smell of burning palm leaves assailed my nose as the palms were being burned for use during the next day’s Ash Wednesday liturgy. Last year’s palms now used for this year’s ashes. This caused me to reflect as Lent began upon the changes in my own life between last Palm Sunday and this Ash Wednesday. Significant changes that involved life and death and new life. And here we are again at Palm Sunday following the anointing of those ashes from last year reflecting on how our hearts have been prepared in order to enter as fully as possible into the celebrations of this year’s Triduum. As palm was transformed into ashes, how have I undergone my own transformation by my Lenten practices? I’ve observed over the years that there is almost a sadness as Lent ends. Lent seems to provide the needed spiritual backbone to engage in choices that lead to more balanced living and helps create interior space. Lent also provides an opportunity to stretch oneself, to make choices that I wouldn’t even consider outside of Lent. This stretching helps us touch in to how Jesus was stretched in entering in to his Passion. Scott Lewis SJ wrote that in contemplating the Passion we should see how far love was willing to go on our behalf and he invites us to ask ourselves each day how far we are willing to go out of love and compassion for others. It is another way of touching into our call to self-emptying love. So Lent for this year comes to an end but hopefully some of the changes we experienced and stretching we did will now become the new palm for next year’s ashes.    

Mary McIntyre, CSJ

Keep Walking

Walking, Walking, Walking to Jerusalem … five weeks, here we are at last! Look, there is a big parade, would you believe it, Jesus, like a King, riding on a donkey. Alleluia, Alleluia, here He is our King. The excitement draws us in – who doesn’t like a parade. And so the week begins!

Jesus lies low until Thursday then He makes it Holy with the institution of the Eucharist and by washing the feet of his disciples. The evening is flawed only by Judas, who is about to betray Jesus.

If I wrote my version of Holy Week I’d prefer to move from Holy Thursday right to the glory of the Resurrection. However, as you know, “you can’t have one without the other.”

Is this not the way to approach life – parades, festivities, meals, and celebrations? Soon enough we come to realize that in every life Good Friday must fall.

We want to be part of the parade, maybe even lead the donkey but as night falls so do we, not to be seen again until Easter Sunday.

We have walked to Jerusalem over the last few weeks – we have arrived.  Now, how will we walk into the “total” reality of Holy Week? Can we move from the head to the heart? Can we move our Lenten conversion into the past Easter season?

Will our change in heart and spirit continue to grow as we continue our walk into Eternal Life?

We are gifted with the call to serve and fed by the Eucharist – now leading the parade is up to us. Jesus is Risen, Alleluia – He wants to take part in our parade. Can we make room for Him in our daily parade?

Jesus lived the whole mystery.

Alleluia Christ is Risen

– and so shall we!

Barbara Vaughan, CSJ