Weekly thoughts on the Sunday Gospel, readings or a topic...

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seeing your life through the lens of the gospels
– Luke 22:14–23:56
This passage is a very rich one and it would be a mistake to attempt to pray each and every part of it. Almost every phrase has something new: actions, images, symbols, words. When you read the passage, stay with whatever part of it resonates with your own life, but make sure when you pray it that you stay with the passage until you get beyond the violence and the horror to find a good news lesson for you.
A few specific points taken at random are:
1. In this scene of great tragedy, there are people helping others, either reluctantly or with compassion: Simon, the women of Jerusalem, the criminal on the cross, and Jesus himself. Note the differences in the manner in which the help is given (as a burden, with sympathy, etc). What has been your experience of helping and being helped?
2. Despite the persecution by the leaders, Jesus still shows forgiveness. When have you seen that spirit of forgiveness in yourself or in others? In your experience, what is the effect of a forgiving spirit, or of its absence?
3. Towards the end, there is a ray of light. Jesus says ‘Father, into your hands I commend my spirit.’ His relationship with his Father was one of trust, even at a moment like this. What difference has it made to you in times of difficulty or pain to have a relationship of trust with God, or with someone else?  – John Byrne, OSA

The Deep End
We know where Jesus is going to end up, and Jesus knows it too. At the beginning of today’s Mass, we hear of Jesus’ spectacular entry into Jerusalem. The crowds who greet him cry out and praise God – the King has come! It is similar to how victorious army generals were welcomed home. These people have set their hopes on Jesus. They are waiting for a Messiah and King, and have heard so much about this preacher – is he the one they’ve been waiting for?
But Jesus is not the hero they’ve been expecting. He has not come to raise up an army or become a great political leader. Quite the opposite: Jesus has come to Jerusalem to die. The story takes a dark and dramatic turn, and we are plunged into a tale of arrest, trial, torture and death. Before long, the crowds are shouting ‘Crucify him! Crucify him!’ and taunting him on the cross to ‘save himself if he is the Christ of God’. Jesus’ triumphant entrance into the city is also his entry into his betrayal, suffering, and death.
We play our part in the unfolding drama today, as we first hold up our palm branches and later join the crowds condemning Jesus. In a Palm Sunday homily to young people, Pope Francis said the changing reactions of the crowds ‘expresses the contradictory feelings that we too, the men and women of today, experience: the capacity for great love, but also for great hatred; the capacity for courageous self-sacrifice, but also the ability to ‘wash our hands’.’ Today we place ourselves in the Passion of Jesus, and we look to the Cross as our consolation and our challenge. 
– Tríona Doherty

(from Intercom)