Palm Sunday of the Lord’s Passion (Year B)
Is 50: 4-7; Ph 2: 6-11; Mk 14: 1-15:47
On His Face we see ‘Yes’
During Thomas Jefferson's presidency, he and a group of travellers were crossing a river that had overflowed its banks. Each man crossed on horseback fighting for his life.
A lone traveller watched the group traverse the treacherous river and then asked President Jefferson to take him across. The president agreed without hesitation, the man climbed on, and the two made it safely to the other side of the river where somebody asked him: "Why did you select the President to ask this favour?"
The man was shocked, admitting he had no idea it was the President of the United States who had carried him safely across.
"All I know," he said, "is that on some of your faces was written the answer 'No' and on some of them was the answer 'Yes.' His was a 'Yes' face."
Today we read the Passion Narration according to Mark. Jesus suffered as a human person and he underwent pain. The passion narratives tell us of the torture Jesus went through due to human cruelty by inflicting on him the pain a human person could barely feel. It seemed at this point the collapse of the mission of Jesus.
After the prayer in the garden Jesus stands before his enemies with strength and authority. He stands in silent dignity before his judges, refusing to be intimidated. In the midst of his own pain and sufferings he could think of the needs of others and pray for and forgive his enemies. Yet he completes his task on the Cross to say ‘it is accomplished’ and he is fulfilled his Father’s will and his mission. Thus it was not a collapse but a great success.
What Jesus experienced for us is a manifestation of God's overwhelming love for each one of us. Further, by our identifying ourselves with the 'mystery' of Jesus' suffering, death and resurrection we ourselves experience a great liberation, a 'Passover' from various forms of sin and enslavement to a life of joy and freedom.
On his face we see ‘Yes’ that carried our sin and made us again the children of God.
(You are most welcome to add your thoughts and reflections in the comment section below)
Happy Sunday
All Praise and Thanks to Jesus for helping us to see YES that carried our sin and made us again the children of God.
ReplyDeleteBeautiful reflections. May Jesus bless you and your mission dear Br Anush.
This story reminds me of one such incident in my life when I and my father were travelling on foot and we faced a challenge to cross a wet mushy desert area in Kuwait on a rainy day. Because, we couldn't walk thru',my father waved at some cars passing by, they wouldn't stop except for one Kuwaiti youth with a 'yes'face who stopped and helped us across. May Jesus strengthen and bless us too, to say 'yes' to carry our daily crosses without complaints and to say 'yes' to help people in need.
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