April 17, 2011 – Passion Sunday

Mt 21:1-11 Is 50:4-7 Phil 2:6-11 Mt 26:14-27:66

Today’s reading of the Scriptures are very full and quite rich. We move from the triumphant entry of Jesus into Jerusalem on Sunday through the sorrowful and shameful death by crucifixion on Friday. I doubt that any disciple can read these gospel passages and not be moved by the self-emptying love of God that takes on the full measure of human cruelty.

Even so, as we contemplate the death of Jesus there may be some elements that escape our notice since the gospel was written in the first century Jewish-Christian community. Some cultural overtones may be lost on us and it is on these that I want to focus today.

Scripture scholar, John Pilch, S.J., tells us that Jesus “died a shameful death, one reserved for the worst of criminals. Even though he died in the best Mediterranean manly tradition, this manner of death wiped out with one stroke all the good he had done. If Jesus truly were beloved of God, God would not have allowed him to be overcome by his enemies.” Here we get a peek into the cultural heart of the first century Jews. It becomes very understandable that many of Jesus’ followers left him when he was crucified, because clearly Jesus could not have been the messiah, according to their thinking, if God abandoned him to crucifixion. And this is where Christian Scriptures make it very clear: God’s values are not our values. In fact, God turns our expectations and judgments upside down! By his acceptance of suffering and a shameful death, Jesus has fully embraced the worst that humankind can do to him, and God vindicated Jesus in the resurrection. What should have been shame and should have wiped out memory of Jesus from history, is the very event that exalts Jesus.

As His disciples, we follow Jesus’ example and allow ourselves to be poured out in love for the good of the world. On this Passion Sunday we can ask ourselves, “Which cultural values stop us from fully embracing the way of Christ?” Being in control is a strong value in Western cultures and can blind us from accepting our limitations as mortal beings. Being always right is a blind spot that can prevent us from apologizing or even recognizing the truth that we are wrong at times. Jesus knew that accepting death on a cross would cause him the loss of all honor among his people. Yet, He knowingly embraced the cross for the healing of our world. To bring healing to others and to our world, we need to follow Jesus along the way of the cross, the way of suffering, the way of humility, the way of the cross. How appropriate that we start Holy Week with a reflection on the quality of our discipleship if we are committed to carrying Christ’s salvation, that is the healing, to our world and all its peoples.