Palm Sunday

Our readings for Palm Sunday are:

1. Isaiah 50: 4-7
2. Psalms 22: 8-9, 17-18, 19-20, 23-24
3. Philippians 2: 6-11
4. Luke 19: 28-40

• Getting close to the suffering
• The Via Dolorosa or the way of sorrows points the way for us to companion Jesus.  Veronica and her veil, Joseph of Arimathea both got close to Jesus, each in their own way.
• Think of someone in your life who is or has gone through suffering.  How did you support them?
• Did you want to somehow do more, but could not find a practical answer?
• What did you do with that frustration?
• Do you believe that "it's the thought that counts" in such situations?

• Is anyone home?
• God never never left Jesus, even in His darkest hour.  If you read Psalm 22 from start to finish, it ends on a high note.  Is it possible that that high note is possible not in spite of, but because of the way that it starts out?
• Do you think that God's faithfulness is a guarantee that we will never feel abandoned?
• Do you think that, at least on occasion, a spiritual dryness/desolation might be good for us?
• Why do you think that is?

• Surrender in order to receive
• An old Jesuit priest once said "as my physical mobility steadily declines, I find that I am freer to approach God."
• Is that quote just a humble man making the best of a bad situation, are these the words of someone giving up on vitality because they know there is no alternative, or is something deeper going on here?
• What are some things that you have lost over the years?  That might be a job, money in the stock market, a friend, ...
• How did that loss change you?  Did you open up more, or become fearful, wary, protective of what was left in your grasp?
• Did you grow from the experience?

• Being there
• As faithful Catholics, it's easy to look at the good thief (tradition calls him St. Dismas for those of you interested) and wonder why we bother with being faithful all of our lives if the end result all boils down to the state that we're in at death.
• If you knew the day that you were going to die, how would you live in the meantime?
• Why work hard to follow Jesus in this life if you knew that you could make amends at the last minute?

• Preparation for Reconciliation:

1. How can I companion Jesus today?
2. What advantage am I getting from the sorrows in my life?
3. What is God calling me to leave behind as I draw closer to Him?
4. Is there anyone in my life who needs defending?

I Remember You

I often wonder about those throngs on the road to Jerusalem

That first Palm Sunday so long ago.

When Jesus' death was made a raging spectacle mere days later,

Did they fear for their lives, even just a little?

Did they try to distance themselves from that joyous outpouring of love,

Or did that procession mark the start of something new in their lives?

Jacob, good to see you, it's been forever.  Wait, I have seen you lately!

Weren't you there when that Jesus fellow rode in on a donkey?

Uh, yeah, well, I guess that I was.  Frankly, I yelled my fool head off

Just like everyone else.  Now look at him.

What do you make of that?  Personally, I thought He was going to make a difference,

Show us all the way to real freedom.

From the Cursed Romans, or the equally cursed religious authorities?

Frankly, I don't know which tyranny is worse.

Maybe something even deeper my friend.  I heard this Jesus didn't put up a fight,

Never called on his followers to rescue him.

Maybe that's just because they all made themselves scarce, ran like rabbits

Once they realized this "movement" was just a puff of smoke.

Maybe.  But just maybe, Jesus' acceptance of that injustice gave him freedom.

Trusting God to be there for him no matter what.

Well, if that sort of an end is what the Presence of God gets you, 

I'm not sure that I'm interested.

I'm not sure either.  But I want to stay close to his followers, see what they do.

Maybe their actions will show me what it all means.

Let me know what you find out.  For my part, I'm just glad this blew over

Before I got too involved to back out.

Shalom!