Yesterday, March 29, 2015, Passion (Palm) Sunday, I began my
third Holy Week as an ordained Deacon. I
assisted at Mass at two of the three parishes that make up the Beverly Catholic
Collaborative. At the beginning of each
Mass, there was the blessing of the palms, followed by my proclaiming the
Gospel reading according to Mark; of Jesus’ triumphant entrance into the city
of Jerusalem. Crowds gathered around
Him, shaking palm branches, and yelling out “Hosanna,” and proclaiming that the
Kingdom of David was at hand. Yet, during
that same liturgy, we would hear the Passion of Jesus Christ according to
Matthew; during which the crowds are now yelling out, “Crucify Him!”
The five weeks of Lent were meant to be a time to prepare
for this Holy Week, for in many ways, this week will be the most challenging of
the Church’s liturgical year. We are to
recall the events that lead to the Crucifixion of Jesus, and to His
Resurrection. We are being challenged to
reflect more deeply and personally on what those events mean to our world, our
Church and for ourselves personally. We
are being summoned to; if just for this week, live a life of intensive prayer
and meditation. We are being challenged
to open our minds, our hearts and our souls to the presence of our Resurrected
Savior, and be willing to be transformed by Him; transformed into bearers of
the Good News. Evangelizers, by word and
deed; to let others know of the love and mercy of our God!
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