April 01, 2012
Palm Sunday
A just a week ago I paused to see a wonderful alignment in the western night sky: the crescent moon, Jupiter and Venus. If I had just looked back to the east -- the red planet: Mars. There is an alignment against Jesus: Jewish chief priests and elders; from within, Judas; and without, Pontius Pilate. Is Jesus a victim? He prays to the Father, if possible, to take away the bitter cup of suffering, but always God's will be done. Jesus accepts his passion in fidelity to God and out of love for us. "Passion" means to suffer and to love. There are kindnesses amid the betrayal and brutality of crucifixion: an unnamed woman anoint his head with costly ointment; a passerby is pressed to carry the cross; women choose not to flee. The passion narrative says something difficult to say: "God knows and understands what we are going through." Com-passion lessens the burden and can even in Christ make our suffering redemptive.
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5th Sunday of Lent
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