PALM SUNDAY 2012
THE MAN OF SORROWS, THE GOD WHO SUFFERS READINGS: ISAIAH 50:4-7; PHILIPPIANS 2:6-11; MARK 14:1-15:47
I. Why Must We Suffer? A. A long time ago, the Emperor Nero of Rome blamed the Christians for starting a fire that ravaged Rome. He killed Peter and then he killed Paul and then he crucified major leaders of the faith on crosses and burned them alive so they would flame as torches in the night. The Christians were thunderstruck. They believed in God; they believed that Jesus was God; they believed that he was the Messiah. How could God let true believers be punished so? B. A man by the name of Mark penned a Gospel to answer that question. And his answer: God allowed the ultimate suffering to happen to his own Son, why should we expect anything less? And so, the Passion story we hear today, tells us that Jesus was not a victim to his suffering, but turned it into an instrument of glory and redemption. If we accept the reality of the Cross for ourselves, we too will be saved. C. Christ died a terrible death, but it had all been foreseen by God. God allowed it to happen so that his Son could redeem us from our sins. Only God could save us, and Jesus was willing to give his life so that salvation could happen. But Christ was like us in all things but sin. By dying on the Cross, he proclaims his oneness with us. He knows what it is to suffer, and he will show us how to transcend all our pain, our burdens, our grief, our sorrow. D. Put yourself in the position of the centurion. You have seen the entire suffering of Christ. What is it you see at the moment of Christ's death that causes you to say, "Clearly, this man was the Son of God?" The crowd mocked him as a king, but his only crown was one of thorns. The soldiers ridiculed his authority; his only scepter was a reed that they used to strike him with. Pilate had him proclaimed King of the Jews but Christ's only throne was the tree of death, the cross. What did the centurion see? E. He saw a man freely give himself, not to death, but to his heavenly Father. He saw on the face of Christ something that told him that Christ did not despair but knew his Father would vindicate him. Christ must have looked at that centurion, and that Roman pagan must have seen a suffering God at one with a suffering humanity. For the first time in his violent, cynical life, the centurion felt the closeness of divinity. He knew God was present on that Cross. He knew that death was losing the war, that this man who was dying was not really defeated by suffering. F. A pagan saw this. A soldier of war, a soldier who worshipped false gods, a soldier who for a brief moment saw the truth. Can we see what he saw? Can we look into the face of Christ on the Cross and see that same truth? II. An Invitation to walk to Calvary A. We are given the opportunity to walk with Christ this week to Calvary--to see what he saw, to experience what he experienced. We are given a chance to discover what the Cross really means. Will you walk with Jesus? Today, we cheered him as he entered Jerusalem. But in the coming days, will you be there as he is betrayed by his friends, abandoned by all, forced to stand alone, forced to die in seeming disgrace? 1. On Holy Thursday, the age old drama begins with the celebration of the Lord's Supper. We meet at (tell the time of your Mass) to remember what Jesus did for us on that night--give us a way to have him with us forever. The Eucharist was his gift. Be here on Thursday to remember that first time he gave the Bread that becomes his Body, the Wine that becomes his Blood. Be with us as he suffers in the Garden of Gethsemani, as we keep vigil until Midnight. 2. On Good Friday, come and recall the first part of the most important event in our Redemption--the Cross of Christ. In the reading of the Passion and in the Veneration of the Cross, we choose to stand with the Lord at the foot of Calvary. [Mention times of services]. 3. And on Holy Saturday evening, come and wait for the conclusion of what occurred on Good Friday as we anticipate the Resurrection of the Lord with the Easter Vigil. It is the holiest night of the year, the most beautiful Mass of the year. It is a time when we can find the answers to the questions of how we can endure suffering and sorrow. It is a time to rejoice in the power of our God.
B. If we choose to walk with Christ this week, we will be able to experience, not just with our minds, but with our entire selves, the Redemption he won for us. Walking with Christ this Holy Week by taking part in all the events our parish offers really gives us the opportunity to see for ourselves what the centurion saw so long ago, that Christ is our God, that Christ is our brother, that Jesus is our Savior.
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