Palm Sunday 2008

Reflection for Passion Sunday (Year A)…

A Response to Jesus calling me…

The human race has a tremendous capacity for goodness but it also has its capacity for terrible evil and wickedness.

This is so evident in today’s readings.  With Palm Sunday we begin Holy Week.  We celebrate the festivity of the entry of Jesus into Jerusalem and we celebrate his goodness. But the dark clouds are already evident.  The Scribes and the Pharisees, the religious leaders, show up the dark side of humanity, already planning to kill Jesus.  He is a threat to them and their vested interests. 

Is it not true that there is great goodness and potential for even greater goodness in all of us?  But we also have the potential to allow ourselves to do what is evil.  We have only to read the daily ‘papers and watch TV and to be faced daily with horrific crimes of human beings against others.

At the core of Holy Week is the incredible love of God for all of humankind, not just the good but also the bad and evil. God the Father gave us his Son to reveal to us how crazy his love for us is.  And we are being called to respond to that love.

One response to the Passion narrative is to ask where do I stand?  Which of the characters in the drama can I associate with most? 

• Pilate? Lacking courage to stand up for the truth with no reason to condemn Jesus except his fear of losing his position as governor if the Jews complained him to Caesar. 
• Jewish religious leaders? Refusing to listen to the truth of what Jesus was saying because it would have demanded a radical change from self-interest to a loving and humble service to all.
• Soldiers? Mocking and bullying Jesus, do they reflect how I treat others under my authority, at work or wherever?
• The Disciples? Betraying and deserting Jesus.  How faithful am I in following Jesus… have I deserted him by sin or from fear of what others may say if I act in a truly Christian way so often contrary to popular opinion?

May this Holy Week be a new beginning for my Christian life and living.

– Fr Tom Curran SMA
Blackrcok Road, Cork