Palm Sunday of the Passion of the Lord

March 28, 2021

Gospel – Mk 11:1-10 Mk 14:1—15:47

Kneeling in Jerusalem by Ann Weems Holy Week
Holy is the week…
Holy, consecrated, belonging to God…
We move from hosanna to horror
with predictable ease
of those who know not what they do.
Our hosannas sung, our palms waved,
let us go with passion into this week.

Imagine the Joy on that First Palm Sunday

• Hearing the cries of joy from those who experienced Jesus love, compassion, mercy
• Present perhaps were the healed leper, woman accused of adultery, the tax collector
• If we were in the audience, would we be joyful?

From Cries of Joy to Cries of Anger

• Crucify him! Cries of slander, disparagement and false witness
• Facts became a twisting of the truth
• Facts became an invention for the benefit of the Pharisees
• Simply not the truth that Jesus was a danger or a criminal
• He was not trying to depose people from their positions

Hope Demolished-Dreams Shattered-Joy Squashed

• Living/Loving like Jesus expands our hearts to include all who are suffering
• We cannot always fix things but we can pray
• The nun and Pope Francis kneel for democracy

The Connection – Jesus’ Passion and Our Responsibility

• The cries of Good Friday tried to erase compassion

How About You and Me

• Where would we have been on Good Friday?
• Would we have been swayed by the religious leaders and by the angry crowd?
• Would we have spoken up for Jesus?
•  There was a final cry as we looked as Jesus stretched on the cross
• It was Jesus’ final cry for each of us: young/old, saints/sinners, people of then/people of
  now

Where are our hearts as we begin the celebration of Holy Week?

Not Just Remembering a Jesus Happening from Long Ago

• We celebrate the mystery of Jesus’ love expressed beyond our imagination
• His dying for us continues to happen in our time in your life-my life
• Let’s open our hearts wide to Jesus’ marvelous, magnificent, merciful love!

HAPPY HOLY WEEK!
Questions for Reflection

• What impacted you from today’s Readings and/or homily?
• Each year as we grow have the opportunity to experience Palm Sunday and the Passion of Jesus in a new way. What insights might be new to you this year?
• We are sometimes asked to take up our crosses and follow Jesus. What might that have
  looked like for you this past year?
• Have you helped others carry their cross this past year in Jesus’ name? In what way?
  What was the experience like for you?
• How was Jesus’ death on the cross “love expressed beyond imagination” for you?
  Live Connected On this Good Friday, spend some time one on one with Jesus in gratitude
  Write down adjectives found in your conversation with Him.