Passion Sunday

Our readings for Passion Sunday of Lent Cycle A are:

1. Ezekiel 37: 12-14
2. Psalm 130: 1-2, 3-4, 5-6, 7-8
3. Romans 8: 8-11
4. Luke 22: 14-23:56

1. What are you ashamed of?
• Do you think that each of us is called to speak up in the face of wrong-doing?
• Do you think that there is any room for a "so so" or mediocre prophet, or does one have to rate at least 4 stars as a prophet before God is interested in calling on them?
• What do you think it might do to you if you do have something that needs to be said, cries to be said, and you remain silent?
• Do words really have power?
• Why?
2. Exciting reverence
• If you were put in charge of God's advertising, what might you change about His apparent approach?
• At least on the surface, what about your life would be a good endorsement for God?
• What are the sorts of folks who would be good spokespersons for a "come home to Jesus campaign?"
• Why not you?
3. Killer obedience
• Have you ever done something, thinking, hoping that it was in obedience to God's will, only to find out otherwise?
• How did you make that discernment?
• Are you getting better at finding God's will in your life?
• Are you getting more courageous about acting on that will?
4. Lived and died a Jew
• Notice that Joseph of Arimathea does well to show respect for the broken body of Jesus upon his death.
• What are some things, relationships, circumstances, places, experiences that have died in your life because you were called to move on?
• Have you ever properly buried them?
• Do they still have a hold on you in any way?  Perhaps some grief that you've never taken the time to process, anger over what could have been and didn't have a chance, or just a numb feeling of unreality about the whole thing?
• If Jesus were here today, right in front of you, what might He say about those dead, broken elements within?

Preparation for Reconciliation:

1. Am I courageous enough to hope?
2. If someone were to ask me why I'm Christian, what would I tell them?
3. What can I empty myself of this week?
4. What in me needs to be given a decent burial?

Jesus has left the building

The Roman soldiers are the only ones who seem to know what to do at the foot of the cross.
I clearly came over dressed, and the hors d'oeuvres that I brought are getting scant attention.

I can't reach Jesus to mop His brow.  I left my ibuprofen at home, and He's shivering in the breeze.
For my part, there are a million things to do to get ready for tomorrow's Sabbath.

Yet there is a ragged sort of peace that peeks out at me from behind the grief.
Beckoning me into prayer, for myself, for humanity, for Jesus.

I realize that I don't have to make a statement, I don't have to fix anything, or help anyone.
Just being here is enough for now, just giving my full, conscious and active participation.

Pondering these moments, each one subtly different from the last,
All of them steps on a pilgrimage to a yet emerging destination.

Shedding my burdens in the face of the burden of my weakness and fear,
Gazing on the face of my own failures etching themselves there on the cross.

And I realize that the pain that I'm enduring at this moment, in this my offering of myself
Is a blessing that will sustain me all of the rest of my life.

Shalom!