By Fr. Glenn Jones:

So, we come this weekend (March 29 this year) to Passion, or “Palm”, Sunday … the latter name referring to the branches placed on the road as the Israelites celebrated the entry of Jesus into Jerusalem. While that passage of the Gospel opens the day’s Catholic Mass, it hardly speaks to the whole of the day’s remembrance. Rather, in the Gospel of the day’s Mass and of other denominations’ observances, we have one of the longest, most poignant, and most moving excerpts of our year: the account of Jesus’ sacrifice of Himself—the Last Supper, the agony in the Garden, His arrest, false conviction, torture, and finally crucifixion, death and burial. (Matthew 26:14-27:66).

There are many things one could focus upon when contemplating this Gospel and the events it recalls. We might consider the corrupting power of money in Judas’ betrayal. The corrupting nature of power and pride so starkly seen in the Pharisees, refusing to acknowledge Jesus’ innocence even when Judas admits to deception and treason. The agonized prayer in the Garden, nonetheless preferring the Father’s will which ultimately led to a greater good. The denial by he who would become the leader of Jesus’ apostles and first leader of His Church. The call for Christ’s blood—blood which both convicts and acquits. The unsuspecting passerby, called unforeseeing to one of the greatest services ever to God. The prayer of the forsaken, actually a psalm of trust (Psalm 22).

We witness, and are struck, by the infinitely regal in humiliation. The omnipotent … holding back His power. Rabid hatred met by tenderest love. The immortal … suffering death. The trembling of the world at the death of its creator. The tearing of the veil separating the Holy of Holies from the people. The Son’s obedience to the Father’s will, infinite innocence atoning for human guilt. The apparent utter failure in crucifixion … to be transformed into ultimate victory on Easter morn.

Yet, a favorite meditation on the Passion of Jesus is found in John’s Gospel: Jesus’ mother Mary and John at the foot of the cross, braving curses, blows from soldiers, venom from onlookers, and her own agony of mother’s love watching her Son slowly expire. Sweet, courageous, devoted mother! And that poignant moment when Jesus gifts her motherhood to John, who represents all believers. Thus the Catholic and Orthodox devotion to her as the mother of the Church, for Jesus Himself calls her our mother.

These are some of the things to consider when confronted by hatred and strife and challenges to faith in the world, asking ourselves: Will I have courage to endure the slings and arrows launched by scoffers, and even His enemies? Will I, like Mary and John, be devoted enough to remain watching at the foot of the cross, come what may? … to offer even a moment of comfort to my Lord? Or, rather, will I flee cowardly into the darkness like the apostles in the Garden? Will I be strong enough to suffer even a little with Him…and thus, for Him? Will I, like Simon of Cyrene, bear at least a little of His burden of the cross?

Jesus did all of this for the salvation of all of us … in God’s infinite love for us. So, when our hearts ache and tears fall at remembrance of His sacrifice and we remember our failures toward God and one another, our prayer is often: “If only I could have been there with you!” But then remember the end of the movie “Forrest Gump”, when Forrest describes his adventures at the bedside of his beloved dying Jenny. Jenny, too, says: “I wish I could have been there with you.” Forrest looks at her tenderly and says: “You were.” Likewise, when hearts ache at Jesus’ sufferings…at His loneliness…at His agony…and we moan: “My Jesus…I wish I could have been there with you”…He, too, in His timeless divinity, looks at us lovingly and says: “You were.”

So, as you contemplate Jesus’ suffering death this week, remember He does it only for love. Love for you.

————

True Christian, never cease from prayer;
   Temptation lurketh everywhere;
When comes the tired soul’s battle hour,
   ‘Tis prayer unlocks God’s boundless power.

Christian, when the cross thou bearest
   And its burdens chafe thee sore,
When to conquer thou despairest,
   Know that now, as once of yore
Down the dolorest way thou farest,
   Jesus Christ leads on before.

(Icelandic Meditations on the Passion)

Editor’s note: Editor’s note: Rev. Glenn Jones is the Vicar General of the Archdiocese of Santa Fe and former pastor of Immaculate Heart of Mary Catholic Church in Los Alamos.