Agony in the Garden by Peter Howson (click on image for larger version)
Homily for Palm Sunday*
Although it is at the heart of our faith tradition,
the story of the suffering and death of Jesus
is recounted in its entirety only twice a year, in the same week,
on Palm Sunday and Good Friday.
Though we hear this account infrequently,
its scenes and characters are vivid in the imagination of many.
If you're like me, there are particular words and phrases
that have embedded themselves in your memory and your heart,
each one evoking images, emotions and prayer.
Do the following not echo at a deep place within you?
Thirty pieces of silver...
One of you will betray me... Surely it is not I, Lord?
The man I shall kiss is the one...
Take and eat: this is my body… Drink, all of you: this is my blood…
You will deny me three times...
You could not keep watch with me for one hour?
The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak...
If this cup cannot pass without my drinking it, your will be done...
All who take the sword will perish by the sword...
I do not know the man! And immediately a cock crowed...
Peter went out and wept, bitterly...
Barabbas - or Jesus called Christ?
He deserves to die!
Let him be crucified!
They spat upon him mocked him, stripped him,
and led him off to crucify him...
My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?
Truly, this was the Son of God!
We enter the Week we call Holy
when Christians around the world pause
to remember and to celebrate the death and resurrection
of Jesus called Christ.
May the words of his suffering and death
refresh our faith in his love poured out for us...
May we faithfully gather throughout this week
as we recall again and pray over the events
that brought us salvation...
May the words embedded in our hearts
bring us to the peace and joy of Easter.
-ConcordPastor
*Wisely, the Church counsels a brief homily this day. The power of this gospel's story needs li
that was a powerful presentation of this gospel at the 9:30. I have focused on the verses:
ReplyDeleteThose passing by reviled him, shaking their heads and saying,
“You who would destroy the temple and rebuild it in three days,
save yourself, if you are the Son of God",
and
The centurion and the men with him who were keeping watch over Jesus
feared greatly when they saw the earthquake
and all that was happening, and they said,
“Truly, this was the Son of God!”
The passers by would presumably be the locals and even perhaps some of Jesus' followers, while the centurion and his men were foreigners. Is this an illustration of what Balthasaar has expressed in his book Prayer in a more general context?:
"The multitude's astonishment was often in the nature of an external amazement at miraculous signs; ... In the gospel, anyone who encounters Christ is impelled either to worship him or to pick up stones with which to stone him. Evidently, the gospel does not foresee any other kind of response".
I think Balthasaar is speaking here of a genuine encounter.
This homily resonated with me, as I have prayed and worked with this story over many weeks, focusing on images that would touch the hearts of children, in preparation for an intergenerational faith formation session.
ReplyDeleteThe childrens learning group for grades 1-5 was especially powerful for me...we viewed a video of the Passion story, "broke it open" and then did an activity called "resurrection eggs" where each child was given an egg carton filled with a dozen empty plastic eggs numbered 1-12. (There are many commercial versions of this activity avaialble for sale and many versions on the internet) I spent a lot of time deciding which 11 symbols we would place into the eggs, (egg #12 remained empty for the empty tomb") I wanted the children to be able to "remember and retell" the story in a way that would help them to have their hearts touched by it.
In the end I settled on a piece of palm, a small goblet and piece of matzoh, a small picture of praying hands, a silver coin,a piece of rawhide, a thorn, a cross, 2 mini dice, a small plastic sword, a piece of white fabric, and a stone.
As we placed each symbol into it's egg we talked about it's significance and the images it helped us to recall. I was just blown away by the children and their responses...during your homily Concord Pastor I could see the faces of each of the children in my group...My heart was also touched by them...