The Gospel of the Day – 2016.03.20 (Palm Sunday)
The Last Supper - Arrest, Trial and Crucifixion
When the hour came, he
took his place at table with the apostles.
He
said to them, "I have eagerly desired to eat this Passover 5 with you
before I suffer, for, I tell you, I shall not eat it (again) until there is
fulfillment in the kingdom of God."
Then
he took a cup, gave thanks, and said, "Take this and share it among
yourselves; for I tell you (that) from this time on I shall not drink of the
fruit of the vine until the kingdom of God comes."
Then
he took the bread, said the blessing, broke it, and gave it to them, saying,
"This is my body, which will be given for you; do this in memory of
me." And likewise the cup after they had eaten, saying, "This cup is
the new covenant in my blood, which will be shed for you.
"And yet behold, the
hand of the one who is to betray me is with me on the table; for the Son of Man
indeed goes as it has been determined; but woe to that man by whom he is
betrayed."
And they began to debate
among themselves who among them would do such a deed. Then an argument broke
out among them about which of them should be regarded as the greatest.
He
said to them, "The kings of the Gentiles lord it over them and those in
authority over them are addressed as 'Benefactors'; but among you it shall not
be so. Rather, let the greatest among you be as the youngest, and the leader as
the servant.
For
who is greater: the one seated at table or the one who serves? Is it not the
one seated at table? I am among you as the one who serves.
It
is you who have stood by me in my trials; and I confer a kingdom on you, just
as my Father has conferred one on me, that you may eat and drink at my table in
my kingdom; and you will sit on thrones judging the twelve tribes of Israel.
"Simon,
Simon, behold Satan has demanded to sift all of you like wheat, but I have
prayed that your own faith may not fail; and once you have turned back, you
must strengthen your brothers."
He
said to him, "Lord, I am prepared to go to prison and to die with
you." But he replied, "I tell you, Peter, before the cock crows this
day, you will deny three times that you know me."
He
said to them, "When I sent you forth without a money bag or a sack or
sandals, were you in need of anything?" "No, nothing," they
replied.
He
said to them, "But now one who has a money bag should take it, and
likewise a sack, and one who does not have a sword should sell his cloak and
buy one.
For
I tell you that this scripture must be fulfilled in me, namely, 'He was counted
among the wicked'; and indeed what is written about me is coming to
fulfillment."
Then they said,
"Lord, look, there are two swords here." But he replied, "It is
enough!"
Then
going out he went, as was his custom, to the Mount of Olives, and the disciples
followed him. When he arrived at the place he said to them, "Pray that you
may not undergo the test."
After withdrawing about a
stone's throw from them and kneeling, he prayed, saying, "Father, if you
are willing, take this cup away from me; still, not my will but yours be
done." (And to strengthen him an angel from heaven appeared to him. He was
in such agony and he prayed so fervently that his sweat became like drops of
blood falling on the ground.)
When
he rose from prayer and returned to his disciples, he found them sleeping from
grief.
He
said to them, "Why are you sleeping? Get up and pray that you may not
undergo the test."
While
he was still speaking, a crowd approached and in front was one of the Twelve, a
man named Judas. He went up to Jesus to kiss him.
Jesus
said to him, "Judas, are you betraying the Son of Man with a kiss?"
His
disciples realized what was about to happen, and they asked, "Lord, shall
we strike with a sword?" And one of them struck the high priest's servant
and cut off his right ear. But Jesus said in reply, "Stop, no more of
this!" Then he touched the servant's ear and healed him.
Jesus
said to the chief priests and temple guards and elders who had come for him,
"Have you come out as against a robber, with swords and clubs?
Day
after day I was with you in the temple area, and you did not seize me; but this
is your hour, the time for the power of darkness."
After
arresting him they led him away and took him into the house of the high priest;
Peter was following at a distance.
They
lit a fire in the middle of the courtyard and sat around it, and Peter sat down
with them.
When
a maid saw him seated in the light, she looked intently at him and said,
"This man too was with him."
But
he denied it saying, "Woman, I do not know him."
A
short while later someone else saw him and said, "You too are one of
them"; but Peter answered, "My friend, I am not."
About
an hour later, still another insisted, "Assuredly, this man too was with
him, for he also is a Galilean." But Peter said, "My friend, I do not
know what you are talking about." Just as he was saying this, the cock
crowed, and the Lord turned and looked at Peter; 16 and Peter remembered the
word of the Lord, how he had said to him, "Before the cock crows today,
you will deny me three times."
He
went out and began to weep bitterly.
The
men who held Jesus in custody were ridiculing and beating him.
They
blindfolded him and questioned him, saying, "Prophesy! Who is it that
struck you?" And they reviled him in saying many other things against him.
When
day came the council of elders of the people met, both chief priests and
scribes, and they brought him before their Sanhedrin.
They
said, "If you are the Messiah, tell us," but he replied to them,
"If I tell you, you will not believe, and if I question, you will not
respond.
But
from this time on the Son of Man will be seated at the right hand of the power
of God."
They
all asked, "Are you then the Son of God?" He replied to them,
"You say that I am."
Then they said,
"What further need have we for testimony? We have heard it from his own
mouth."
Then the whole assembly
of them arose and brought him before Pilate.
They
brought charges against him, saying, "We found this man misleading our
people; he opposes the payment of taxes to Caesar and maintains that he is the
Messiah, a king."
Pilate
asked him, "Are you the king of the Jews?" He said to him in reply,
"You say so."
Pilate
then addressed the chief priests and the crowds, "I find this man not
guilty."
But they were adamant and
said, "He is inciting the people with his teaching throughout all Judea,
from Galilee where he began even to here."
On
hearing this Pilate asked if the man was a Galilean; and upon learning that he
was under Herod's jurisdiction, he sent him to Herod who was in Jerusalem at
that time.
Herod
was very glad to see Jesus; he had been wanting to see him for a long time, for
he had heard about him and had been hoping to see him perform some sign.
He
questioned him at length, but he gave him no answer.
The
chief priests and scribes, meanwhile, stood by accusing him harshly. (Even)
Herod and his soldiers treated him contemptuously and mocked him, and after
clothing him in resplendent garb, he sent him back to Pilate.
Herod
and Pilate became friends that very day, even though they had been enemies
formerly.
Pilate
then summoned the chief priests, the rulers, and the people and said to them,
"You brought this man to me and accused him of inciting the people to
revolt. I have conducted my investigation in your presence and have not found
this man guilty of the charges you have brought against him, nor did Herod, for
he sent him back to us. So no capital crime has been committed by him. Therefore,
I shall have him flogged and then release him."
But
all together they shouted out, "Away with this man! Release Barabbas to
us." (Now Barabbas had been imprisoned for a rebellion that had taken
place in the city and for murder.)
Again
Pilate addressed them, still wishing to release Jesus, but they continued their
shouting, "Crucify him! Crucify him!"
Pilate
addressed them a third time, "What evil has this man done? I found him
guilty of no capital crime. Therefore I shall have him flogged and then release
him."
With
loud shouts, however, they persisted in calling for his crucifixion, and their
voices prevailed.
The
verdict of Pilate was that their demand should be granted.
So
he released the man who had been imprisoned for rebellion and murder, for whom
they asked, and he handed Jesus over to them to deal with as they wished.
As
they led him away they took hold of a certain Simon, a Cyrenian, who was coming
in from the country; and after laying the cross on him, they made him carry it
behind Jesus.
A large crowd of people
followed Jesus, including many women who mourned and lamented him.
Jesus
turned to them and said, "Daughters of Jerusalem, do not weep for me; weep
instead for yourselves and for your children, for indeed, the days are coming
when people will say, 'Blessed are the barren, the wombs that never bore and
the breasts that never nursed.'
At
that time people will say to the mountains, 'Fall upon us!' and to the hills,
'Cover us!' for if these things are done when the wood is green what will
happen when it is dry?"
Now
two others, both criminals, were led away with him to be executed.
When
they came to the place called the Skull, they crucified him and the criminals
there, one on his right, the other on his left.
[Then
Jesus said, "Father, forgive them, they know not what they do."] They
divided his garments by casting lots.
The
people stood by and watched; the rulers, meanwhile, sneered at him and said,
"He saved others, let him save himself if he is the chosen one, the
Messiah of God."
Even
the soldiers jeered at him. As they approached to offer him wine they called
out, "If you are King of the Jews, save yourself."
Above
him there was an inscription that read, "This is the King of the
Jews."
Now
one of the criminals hanging there reviled Jesus, saying, "Are you not the
Messiah? Save yourself and us."
The
other, however, rebuking him, said in reply, "Have you no fear of God, for
you are subject to the same condemnation? And indeed, we have been condemned
justly, for the sentence we received corresponds to our crimes, but this man
has done nothing criminal."
Then
he said, "Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom."
He
replied to him, "Amen, I say to you, today you will be with me in
Paradise."
It
was now about noon and darkness came over the whole land until three in the
afternoon because of an eclipse of the sun. Then the veil of the temple was
torn down the middle.
Jesus
cried out in a loud voice, "Father, into your hands I commend my
spirit"; and when he had said this he breathed his last.
The
centurion who witnessed what had happened glorified God and said, "This
man was innocent beyond doubt."
When all the people who
had gathered for this spectacle saw what had happened, they returned home
beating their breasts; but all his acquaintances stood at a distance, including
the women who had followed him from Galilee and saw these events.
Now there was a virtuous
and righteous man named Joseph who, though he was a member of the council, had
not consented to their plan of action. He came from the Jewish town of
Arimathea and was awaiting the kingdom of God.
He went to Pilate and
asked for the body of Jesus.
After he had taken the
body down, he wrapped it in a linen cloth and laid him in a rock-hewn tomb in
which no one had yet been buried.
It was the day of
preparation, and the sabbath was about to begin.
The women who had come
from Galilee with him followed behind, and when they had seen the tomb and the
way in which his body was laid in it, they returned and prepared spices and
perfumed oils.
Then they rested on the sabbath according to the commandment. (NABRE)
True Leadership
The
reading for today is long, far too long for me to treat in a single homily. I
promise to expand on it over the course of my years.
For
today I will boil down the essence of the Gospel reading, and the meaning of
the day to the following two lines from Luke.
“He
said to them, ‘The kings of the Gentiles lord it over them and those in
authority over them are addressed as “Benefactors”; but among you it shall not
be so. Rather, let the greatest among you be as the youngest, and the leader as
the servant’” (Luke 22:25-26).
This
is the reading for Palm Sunday. Palm Sunday marks the end of Lent and the
beginning of Holy week; culminating in Easter, the crucifixion of Jesus and the
crowning of the King.
Palm
Sunday is the day on which the crowing of Jesus was anticipated by the people
of Jerusalem. They come out of the city to greet him as the deliverer and
savior, lining the road to the city with palm fronds as if he was at the head
of a victorious army, having freed the people from vassalage to some dark
power.
That
is the historic significance of the day, but instead of going to the temple, or
the palace to feast with his generals, he goes to a small room on the upper
floor of a common house, to celebrate the Passover and share a last meal with
his closest friends and followers.
Jesus
then draws the clearest distinction between himself, a king (of a type), and
the other kings in the world.
Jesus
is not willing to rule as an authoritarian, he will be a “lord” to the people,
he will not even accept the title of benefactor, because the role of leader is
not to rule but to govern, not to decree, but to manage not to order but to
inspire the people to free themselves and share the blessings of their freedom
with others.
This
is the way of heaven. The society of God, creator of the universe, if not a
kingdom, but a garden in which all of its citizens work and share in the
abundance equally.
Jesus
speaks directly to this point with his followers, knowing what is about to
happen to him, wishing that his trial will free them from the same fate, and he
orders them in no uncertain terms to remember this teaching, because it is
meant to be the foundation of the church that will form after his passing.
Let
us not dwell on the question of whether the church got right, by and large it
has failed miserably, but this record of Jesus’ teaching has remained. In every
generation since that time it has inspired some, a minority, to do the right
thing.
Palm
Sunday – Holy Week
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