Celebrating 100 over years in Irondequoit
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Cycle C
Q261: The passion narrative and the new movie “The Passion…” are very long, and quite predictable. Is there another way I can approach this important annual reading?
Yes, and perhaps in a way that you have never considered seriously before today. We easily say, “Jesus died for my sins… for our sins… for the sins of the world…” But we aren’t so hasty to make the movement to identifying ourselves with Judas, are we? Be honest: when was the last time you compared yourself to Judas? Who, me? After all, he betrayed Jesus!
This year, we read from “cycle C,” St. Luke’s gospel (Lk 22:14--23:56). Jesus asks Judas, who is leading the crowd that came to arrest him: “Judas, are you betraying the Son of Man with a kiss?” (Lk 22:48, NAB). The kiss of greeting between friends was a normal custom in that culture. The omission of a kiss, in fact, was considered an insult (Lk 7:45). However, the kiss of an enemy is treacherous (cf. Prov. 27:6b) and can be deadly (cf. 2 Sam 20:9). This particular kiss from Judas proved to be very deadly.
Have you ever really considered that it was your own sins that caused the death of Jesus? Are you any less guilty than Judas, for the death of Jesus? What is it that makes you think that your sins do not make you an enemy of Jesus? Admitting our guilt, we beg mercy from Jesus, knowing that he is merciful to those with a sincere heart.
Know Your Catechism! We must avoid the sins against Hope -- namely, despair and presumption. Judas “despaired” - he ceased to hope for forgiveness from God, and killed himself (Mt 27:5). Despair is contrary to God’s goodness and justice (CCC #2091). On the other hand, we must also avoid “presuming” that God will forgive us, without a conversion of our heart (CCC #2092). Today begins the holiest week in our entire Christian tradition. Turn to God with a truly sincere and trusting heart; acknowledge your sins; and beg for his mercy! Then, amend your life as a sign of your sincerity.
He took the form of a slave.
There is an event in the life of the black Dominican friar, St. Martin de Porres, that is worth recalling on Passion Sunday.
Most readers will know something about this lay brother of Lima, Peru. He was born in 1579, died in 1639, and was proclaimed a saint in 1962. Back in Peru's colonial days, the ruling Spaniards brought over thousands of African Negroes as slaves. Some of the slaves eventually won their freedom, most did not; and there was as much racial discrimination in South America as there has been in the United States.
In his own person, Martin summarized the woes of the kidnapped black race. His Mother, Anna Velasquez, was a free black woman; his father a Spanish nobleman - in rank if not in character. When Anna showed Juan de Porres his baby boy, he exclaimed, "I won't accept him as mine. He's too dark!" Eventually, he came around and acknowledged his legal paternity. But he did very little to help his son, so Martin has to live out the role of a half-caste on the fringe of Liman society.
Another mulatto might have soured on life. Not Martin. He chose sanctity over cynicism. Joining the Dominican Order, he spent his life in utter humility and service of others. One day this unselfish lay brother learned that his superior, faced with a shortage of funds to run the monastery, had set out for the market to sell some of the house's most valuable items. Martin ran after the priest and caught up with him before he had reached the mark et place. "Please don't sell our possessions," the saint blurted out. "Sell me! I'm not worth being kept in the order, anyhow; and I am strong and can work!"
The superior, deeply touched, shook his head, "Go back to the monastery." he said gently, "you are not for sale!"
So Martin remained free. But he had at least tried sincerely to imitate the Christ who did "empty Himself and took on the form of a slave… obediently accepting even death, death on a cross." (Phil 2:7.8 Today's second reading.)
-Father Robert F. McNamara
Q. 417: Why do we have to read these shocking, gory events about Jesus every year during Holy Week, beginning with Palm-Passion Sunday?
We really don't look forward to reading the long Passion narrative each year, do we? After all, we know that there are gruesome events that are going to take place, and we would rather not dwell on agony and suffering. And yet, this is the story of our God - he loves us so much, that he became one of us and even died for us, as unworthy as we are. The conclusion of Jesus' public ministry is all contained in our gospel reading today (Lk 22:14 - 23:56). We recall the Last Supper (institution of the Holy Eucharist), agony in the Garden of Gethsemane, betrayal by Judas, denials from Peter, and the crucifixion and death of Jesus.
But before all of this comes the “Palm Sunday” entry into Jerusalem. No one there had the slightest idea what is going to happen to Jesus. Instead, they speculated that they were finally getting the Messiah that they had been looking for - a political warrior who would become a king just like David, and restore the fortunes of Israel. Perhaps freedom from the Roman army was right around the corner…
But that was not God's plan. Instead, his prophet Isaiah (Isaiah 50:4-7) had spoken about a Suffering Servant who would be humiliated and tortured, all for the sake of our eternal salvation. The Christian community sees this passage fulfilled in Jesus Christ. St. Paul was inspired to show how awesome is this God, who humbled himself by taking on our human nature (Phil 2:6-11) and dying on the cross to redeem us from our sins!
Fortunately for us, a happy processional celebration followed by rejection and then death is not the end of this story! We know what lies beyond Good Friday - Easter joy, the fulfillment of all of God's promises in the resurrection of Jesus Christ, the Son of God!
Know Your Catechism! The redemptive passion of Jesus was the very reason for his Incarnation, and led him to embrace his Father's plan of redeeming love (CCC #607). Check your own humility: did you know that pride and self-exaltation is diametrically opposed to the obedience of Jesus, which achieved our salvation (CCC #1850)?
