Today's vigil Mass for the Palm Sunday of the Lord's Passion marks the beginning of the holiest week of the year for me and all Roman Catholics. Beginning with Jesus' triumphant ride into Jerusalem and following with his subsequent passion and execution, tonight's Gospel readings pull us into the tension that exists within the human condition.
Joy and sorrow. Heart and mind. Betrayal and embrace. Power and vulnerability. Fear and love. Faith and reason. Despair and hope. Humility and status. Honor and shame. Death and life.
During this Holy Week, we are invited to ponder the words and actions of people very much like ourselves. People living in the midst of tension with beliefs and hopes; laws and opinions; blessings and brokenness.
The men and women who were the first apostles, were called upon to experience ineffable joy and ineffable agony. Called upon because they had chosen to follow the Teacher who embraced his faith with compassion thereby diffusing the paralyzing tension that was imposed by the status quo.
Fortunately for us, we know that this tension was resolved with Our Lord's Resurrection. Yet, often, we too are pulled into the midst of tension as we attempt to reduce everything to the lowest common denominator.
Are we really called to be blue or red, or pro-this or pro-that? If blue and red joined forces, could they as purple focus on resolving issues? What would happen if we recognized that pro-this and pro-that are not necessarily mutually exclusive?
My prayer for this Holy Week is to ask for the courage and wisdom to see and live beyond the tension.
Joy and sorrow. Heart and mind. Betrayal and embrace. Power and vulnerability. Fear and love. Faith and reason. Despair and hope. Humility and status. Honor and shame. Death and life.
During this Holy Week, we are invited to ponder the words and actions of people very much like ourselves. People living in the midst of tension with beliefs and hopes; laws and opinions; blessings and brokenness.
The men and women who were the first apostles, were called upon to experience ineffable joy and ineffable agony. Called upon because they had chosen to follow the Teacher who embraced his faith with compassion thereby diffusing the paralyzing tension that was imposed by the status quo.
Fortunately for us, we know that this tension was resolved with Our Lord's Resurrection. Yet, often, we too are pulled into the midst of tension as we attempt to reduce everything to the lowest common denominator.
Are we really called to be blue or red, or pro-this or pro-that? If blue and red joined forces, could they as purple focus on resolving issues? What would happen if we recognized that pro-this and pro-that are not necessarily mutually exclusive?
My prayer for this Holy Week is to ask for the courage and wisdom to see and live beyond the tension.
personal expressions from the heart to the heart
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