Palm Sunday,cycle b

MARK 14:1-15:47 (THE PASSION OF OUR LORD)
WE'VE JUST TAKEN PART IN AN ANCIENT TRADITION – THE READING OF THE PASSION. OUR CELEBRANT READS THE PARTS WHERE JESUS SPEAKS, AND WE HAVE A NARRATOR, AND WE HAVE SOMEONE ELSE WHO DOES ALL THE OTHER PARTS. AND THEN WE HAVE THE CHORUS – THAT IS YOU AND I. WHEN YOU LOOK AT OUR PART, IT ISN'T MUCH, BUT IT DOES SERVE AS KIND OF AN EXAMINATION OF CONSCIENCE.
IN OUR FIRST PART, WE SPEAK FOR THE PRIESTS AND SCRIBES, WHO SEEK TO ARREST JESUS – BUT WE SAY, “NOT DURING THE FESTIVAL, FOR FEAR THAT THERE MAY BE A RIOT AMONG THE PEOPLE.” HOW OFTEN DO WE FAIL TO DO SOMETHING THAT WE SHOULD BECAUSE WE FEAR SOME REACTION FROM THOSE AROUND US?
“WHY HAS THERE BEEN THIS WASTE OF PERFUMED OIL? IT COULD HAVE BEEN SOLD FOR MORE THAN THREE HUNDRED DAYS WAGES AND THE MONEY GIVEN TO THE POOR.” WHEN WE SEE SOMEONE ELSE DOING GOOD, DO WE THANK GOD FOR THAT? OR PERHAPS, OUT OF ENVY, WE CRITICIZE, WE FIND FAULT.
“WHERE DO YOU WANT US TO GO AND PREPARE FOR YOU TO EAT THE PASSOVER?” THE APOSTLES SAID THIS TO JESUS. I IMAGINE JESUS MIGHT HAVE SAID TO HIMSELF, “DO I HAVE TO THINK OF EVERYTHING?” ARE THERE TIMES WHEN THE HOLY SPIRIT INSPIRES US TO STEP OUT AND TAKE INITIATIVE, BUT WE HOLD BACK, WAITING FOR SOMEONE ELSE TO LEAD?
THE NEXT TIME WE IN THE CHORUS SPEAK, WE ARE SOME OF THE FALSE WITNESSES AGAINST JESUS. “WE HEARD HIM SAY, “I WILL DESTROY THIS TEMPLE MADE WITH HANDS AND WITHIN THREE DAYS I WILL BUILD ANOTHER NOT MADE WITH HANDS.” WHEN JESUS MADE THIS STATEMENT, THOSE WHO HEARD HIM KNEW HE WAS SPEAKING FIGURATIVELY. NO ONE WHO WAS THERE REALLY BELIEVED THAT JESUS WAS GOING TO TEAR DOWN THE TEMPLE AND BUILD ANOTHER, NOT IN THREE DAYS, NOT WITHOUT HUMAN LABOR. BUT THE WORDS JESUS SPOKE ARE TAKEN OUT OF CONTEXT AND USED AGAINST HIM. DO WE DO THIS? DO WE ISOLATE THINGS SOMEONE MAY HAVE SAID AND USE THOSE WORDS TO CHARACTERIZE HIM? DO WE SNEER AT THE POPE FOR SAYING THAT CONDOMS PROMOTE AIDS BUT NEVER GO TO THE TROUBLE TO ACTUALLY READ WHAT THE POPE ACTUALLY SAID?
“PROPHECY” WE SAY, WITH THE SOLDIERS WHO TORTURE JESUS. DO WE STOP UP OUR EARS WHEN SOMEONE WHO IS NOT ONE OF US SPEAKS THE TRUTH TO US? DO WE THINK THAT WE HAVE NOTHING TO LEARN FROM OTHER RELIGIONS, OTHER RACES, OTHER SOCIAL CLASSES?
“YOU TOO WERE WITH THE NAZARENE, JESUS”, AND “SURELY YOU ARE ONE OF THEM, FOR YOU TOO ARE A GALILEAN.” HAVE WE EVER JUDGED SOMEONE BECAUSE OF THE COMPANY HE OR SHE KEEPS? DO WE LABEL PEOPLE, MAKING THEM “THINGS” IN OUR OWN EYES, SO THAT WE LOSE SIGHT OF THEIR UNIQUENESS, THEIR INDIVIDUALITY, THE FACT THAT THEY ARE LOVED WITH A DIVINE LOVE?
“CRUCIFY HIM!” IS THERE ANYONE, A BOSS, A POLITICAL LEADER, A RELIGIOUS LEADER, -- ANYONE WHO IS A THORN IN MY SIDE – THAT I REALLY WISH WOULD GET WHAT IS COMING TO HIM OR HER; THAT I WOULD NOT SHED A TEAR OVER IF I HEARD THAT THAT PERSON HAD BEEN IN A CAR ACCIDENT?
“HAIL, KING OF THE JEWS.” THESE WORDS MOCKED JESUS. MOCKERY IS A GOOD WAY TO AVOID TAKING SOMEONE SERIOUSLY, OR TO KEEP FROM ENGAGING IN HONEST DIALOG WITH SOMEONE.
“YOU WHO WOULD DESTROY THE TEMPLE AND REBUILD IT IN THREE DAYS, SAVE YOURSELF BY COMING DOWN FROM THE CROSS!” HAVE YOU AND I EVER STOOD BY AND WATCHED AS SOMEONE ELSE SUFFERED? IF WE HAVEN'T BEEN GENEROUS TO THE POOR AND MARGINALIZED, WE HAVE.
“HE SAVED OTHERS, HE CANNOT SAVE HIMSELF. LET CHRIST, THE KING OF ISRAEL, COME DOWN NOW FROM THE CROSS, THAT WE MAY SEE AND BELIEVE.” WHAT DO WE NEED BEFORE WE COMMIT OURSELVES? STILL ANOTHER MIRACLE?
“LOOK, HE IS CALLING ELIJAH!” JESUS IN HIS DYING AGONY CALLED OUT TO GOD. THOSE LISTENING CHOSE TO HEAR HIM CALL ON ELIJAH, THE PROPHET, TO RESCUE HIM. DO WE DELIBERATELY MISINTERPRET WHAT WE HEAR SO THAT WE WON'T HAVE TO FACE WHAT IS REALLY GOING ON?
THESE AREN'T ALL THE THINGS WE HUMANS ARE GUILTY OF. BUT ITS A START. THANK GOD THAT JESUS HAS GUARANTEED OUR FORGIVENESS.