2018/03/25 — Passion Sunday (Palm Sunday) — Year B

First Reading — Isaiah 50:4-7
Second Reading — Philippians 2:6-11
Gospel — Mark 14:1-15:47

The liturgy of Palm Sunday can begin with a ceremony of blessing of palms during which the passage telling of Jesus' entry into Jerusalem is read. It is taken from the current year's gospel, except that in Year B there is an option to read the account from John. Thus, if the blessing takes place at a given Mass, we may hear Mark 11:1-10 or John12:12-16. The version from Mark includes Jesus' sending disciples to borrow the colt for him. John's version includes an Old Testament quote promising Zion that her king would arrive as Jesus did. Central in significance for both is the people's acclamation, "Hosanna!" followed by words quoted at every Mass, "Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!" The irony that a few days later a crowd, possibly including some of the same people, would be shouting for his crucifixion is a warning to us all to be v=clear about where we stand. Our human nature can be fickle. Even if we don't explicitly oppose Jesus, we can ignore his teachings and calls in our life.

The first two readings and responsorial psalm of Palm Sunday are the same every year. The gospel is the Passion Narrative of the gospel being read on Sundays throughout the year. So this year we hear the Passion according to St. Mark.

The first reading — Isaiah 50:4-7 — is the third of four "Songs of the Suffering Servant" in the book of Isaiah. The servant of the Lord undergoes sufferings like those of Jesus, but he has confidence in God that he will ultimately be vindicated.

The responsorial psalm — verses of Psalm 22, with verse 2 as the refrain — is quoted by Jesus on the cross. Like the first reading, it tells of one who is being tormented, but concludes with an expression of confidence in being vindicated by God.

In the gospel — Mark 14:1—15:47 — we hear of Jesus fully aware of what is about to happen to him, saying that the woman who anointed him at the home of Simon the leper had done so in preparation for his burial. Although in the garden he wishes that it weren't necessary, he accepts it as the will of his Father. At the Last Supper, he gives the Twelve his body and "[his] blood of the covenant." "Blood of the covenant" is significant because it recalls the blood of the covenant in Exodus 24:8. To ratify God's covenant with Israel, Moses offers a sacrifice and takes the blood of the animals sacrificed and splashes half of it on the altar and sprinkles the people with the other half, Now Jesus' sacrifice establishes God's covenant with his people and brings forgiveness of sins.
Jesus unflinchingly proclaims his Messiahship and accepts his crucifixion. Others actively seek his death (the Sanhedrin), yield to pressure (Pilate), betray him (Judas), deny him (and repent)(Peter), run away (disciples, young man who ran away naked — instead of leaving all to follow Jesus, he left all to stop following), mock him (Sanhedrin members, Roman soldiers, passers-by, chief priests, those crucified with him), follow loyally (women observing the crucifixion), or come to faith (centurion). If we sin, we are yielding, denying, or running away from him, and seeking our own comfort or pleasure. But he will forgive, as he forgave Peter and the other disciples after he rose.
I was at a lecture where someone asked where was Jesus' mercy when he said of Judas, "better for that man if he had never been born." The answer is that all of God's threats are conditional: this is what will happen if you don't repent and change your ways. When Jesus spoke to Judas, it was a warning and a plea: what you are about to do will turn out very badly for you; don't go through with it. Judas could have repented and been restored to God's grace. God's mercy remained available to him, as it is to all of us.
We might note that the Sanhedrin trial was a kangaroo court. At 14:1, days beforehand, they decide to put Jesus to death. At the trial, failing to get testimony capable of justifying the death sentence, the high priest asserts that Jesus' claim of Messiahship consistent with Daniel 7:13 is blasphemy. But of course, if true, it isn't blasphemy. There is no proof that Jesus' claim is false, just an assertion made in order to justify the predetermined outcome.

The second reading — Philippians 2:6-11 — also speaks of the sufferings of Jesus, putting them in the context of his divinity. As God he was unable to suffer and die, so he became human in order to die for us. His exaltation shows him as Lord, our Savior, deserving of our reverent and grateful praise.

I don't think I'll have a chance to write new posts for Holy Thursday and Good Friday, but the readings are the same every year, so you might want to check out those from 2016 in the archive.

2016/03/20 — Passion Sunday (Palm Sunday) — Year C

This Sunday's liturgy opens with a rite commemorating Jesus' triumphal entry into Jerusalem. The remainder of the Mass focuses on his passion and death. Jesus, by rights a king, accepts humiliation and death to bring us mercy and forgiveness.


In the opening rite, the priest blesses palms, reminding us of the palm branches which some gospel accounts tell us the people strewed on the road ahead of Jesus (Matthew 21:8, Mark 11:8). After the blessing of palms. the gospel of Jesus' entry into Jerusalem is read. This year's  gospel is Luke — Lk 19:28-40. Jesus rides on a colt, not a magnificent stallion, as might be expected of a king. This indicates his humility: he is not an earthly king, although the people, paraphrasing Psalm 118:26, acclaim him as a king and repeat the words of the angels at his birth proclaiming peace and glory. Some of the pharisees tell Jesus to quiet the crowd lest this seem to be a revolt against Rome, but Jesus insists that the acclamations are necessary, even though he has and seeks no political power.


The first reading of the Mass — Isaiah 50:4-7 — is the third of four "Servant Songs" in Isaiah. (We'll hear the fourth on Good Friday.) It describes the servant's sufferings in terms similar to what we read of Jesus in the gospels. But the servant does what the Lord calls him to do, and he has confidence in God's help, so that his suffering will not be the final word.


The responsorial psalm — verses of Psalm 22 — has for its response the words of verse 2 which Jesus quoted on the cross (Matthew 27:46, Mark 15:34). The selected verses tell of mockery and dividing of garments which, which we will also hear of in the gospel. Then we have a prayer for God's help such as the suffering Servant of Isaiah counted on. The servant will proclaim God's name.


The second reading — Phillipians 2:6-11 —takes us from Jesus's inherent equality with God, through his laying aside of that equality in order to undergo suffering and the death on the cross, and culminating with his resurrection and glorification — an very compact account of the work of the Messiah.


The gospel — Luke 22:14 - 23:56 — takes us from the Last Supper to the burial of Jesus. At theLast Supper, Jesus emphasizes that they must serve one another, following his example. He gives Peter the role of confirming the faith of the others, and then predicts his threefold betrayal. After his agony in Gethsemani he is betrayed by Judas with a kiss. Peter fulfills the prediction of his denial. The Sanhedrin convicts him os blasphemy, but to Pilate they accuse him of opposing Roman power. While neither Pilate nor Herod find the charges valid, a crowd is incited to demand his crucifixion, and Pilate gives in. In his words to the women on the way to Calvary, there is perhaps a foreshadowing of the persecutions which his followers will have to undergo.

Twice on Calvary Jesus shows mercy: first praying for the forgiveness of his executioners, and later promising Paradise to the believing criminal crucified beside him.

Afte his death the centurion, a gentile, recognizes his innocence as do the Jewish crowd. The women followers know where he is buries, so they will know that the empty tomb of Easter is truly where he was buried.

2015/09/20 — 25th Sunday in Ordinary Time

Jesus gives his second prediction of his passion. All good people can expect opposition, but we must remain good-hearted.


Last Sunday's gospel passage included a profession of faith, a prediction of Jesus' Passion, and a teaching that all Christians must bear their cross. The lectionary passes over the accounts of the Transfiguration and the exorcism of a boy with a demon to get to today's pericope: Mark 9:30-37. There are two parts to this passage. First, Jesus once more predicts his suffering, death, and resurrection. Once more, the disciples are puzzled, but they don't dare ask questions. Next, the disciples discuss who is the greatest. Jesus says greatness lies in service to all, even to people of no status such as children.


The passion of Jesus, which he predicts, fulfills the words of the first reading — Wisdom 2:12, 17-20. But Jesus isn't the only just one persecuted by the wicked. Good behavior is always a silent rebuke to those who are behaving badly. They resort to mockery, pressure to conform, and bullying. In Western nations, the pressure to conform usually does not go beyond that, but it takes courage to stand up to what may be popular but wrong. Note that the just one is characterized by gentleness and patience. Note also that the words of the wicked in verse 18 echo Psalm 22:9, which Jesus prayed on the cross, and both find their echo in the mockery of Jesus by the chief priests, scribes, and elders at Matthew 27:43.


Psalm 53:3-6, 8 has the congregation pray as those persecuted by the wicked do, with confidence in God.


The second reading — James 3:16-4:23 — warns us to avoid against jealousy, ambition, and covetousness. They are bad in themselves, but they lead to further evils: disorder and all sorts of "foul practice," as well as conflicts both within oneself and with others. The mention of wars and killings don't imply that the hearers are literally engaged in those thing. Commentators point that those were standard themes in contemporary writings against jealousy and self-seeking. At any rate, the Holy Spirit, wisdom from above, brings purity, peace, gentleness, compliance, mercy, and good deeds. Jesus exhibited those while remaining forthright in his teaching and courageous in the face of opposition. We should have the same childlike qualities, not letting ourselves be provoked to evil.

"Craig"

After reading "Self-Awareness," a friend asked me if I had ever wanted to be intimate with anyone. I immediately thought of and told him this.

In 1974 my employer sent me to Long Island to be part of a team of instructors training new employees. We were using a facility on the campus of Hofstra University in Hempstead. I was staying at a motel about seven miles away in Hicksville. Nearby was a neighborhood bar called Gatsby's Pub, where I frequently went of an evening.

One day after class, a number of us gathered in the motel room of one of the instructors a couple of blocks from the building where we were doing the training. In the company was a young man named "Craig." I don't know why he was there. He was fairly short and slim, had wavy blond short hair, and was wearing a white turtleneck.

At some point I told of Gatsby's and indicated I was about to go there, inviting anyone interested to join me, and hoping that Craig would take me up on it. He didn't, and I went to Gatsby's alone.

I don't think I had a clear scenario in my mind for what would happen if he joined me. Certainly it included going to the motel after the bar. It included being in each others arms. It probably did not explicitly include bringing each other to orgasm. But I definitely longed for his embrace, perhaps in bed.

My friend asked me what if he had wanted more, and I just can't be sure. I would have thought it wrong, but I find it difficult to resist non-sexual blandishments so I might have agreed to what he asked. But to this day, what I long for from that encounter that never happened is an embrace, a loving embrace.

Upon further reflection, I realize that of course, such an embrace is a form of physical intimacy, although perhaps not what my friend was thinking about. Also, whatever I wanted, hoped for, was more than  I wanted from "Bruce." At the time what I was hoping for felt to me like something that was way more than what I wanted from other guys I liked. Another point is that at the time, I believed that I had sinned in my heart in whatever it was I was hoping for or open to with Craig. But back then I was not so clear as to what was or was not necessarily sinful. Today, I would consider an embrace which is not intended as foreplay for orgasm to be okay- indeed possibly a useful way of satisfying the natural human longing for intimate contact. Back then, I tended to think of any physical expression of sexual attraction as necessarily sinful. So I felt that my dashed hopes constituted a sin which needed to be brought to sacramental reconciliation.

It may seem to readers that this is no different from how I felt about "Bruce" from high school or "Dave" from the Bananas, but to me it was a very different thing. And this did not involve a friend of long standing but a beautiful stranger whom I had just met. And I thank God that, whatever was in my heart, I did not get the chance to actually do anything that was truly sinful that night.