Homily and Bulletin for
Sunday, April 13th
Passion Sunday
For me, two passages leap off the page today.
The first comes in the early part of the Passion, during the Last Supper. An argument breaks out. Which disciple is the greatest?
Jesus is about to die for them - and the disciples argue about who’s the greatest among them.
In other Gospels that argument happens earlier - during the public life of Jesus. Remember James and John wanting to sit at the right and left of Jesus when he comes into his Kingdom.
St. Luke places the argument at the Last Supper. And Jesus response? “Let the greatest among you be as the youngest, and the leader as the servant.” Greatness comes by serving others.
Non-believers throw their weight around.
Gentiles have fights over who’s in charge.
“Not you.”
A little humility, please!
I’m reminded of a story about Muhammed Ali. We all remember him as the world champion boxer - always known for bragging. Always saying, “I’m the greatest.”
On one occasion, Ali boarded an airplane and settled into his seat - but refused to put on his seatbelt after being asked repeatedly to do so by the stewardess.
“Superman don’t need no seatbelt,” he said.
To which the stewardess replied, “Superman don’t need no airplane either.”
The seatbelt went on.
Humility!
***
But also…service.
Laying down our lives for one another - what Jesus will do in the next hours - is the choice made by those who wish to follow him.
The way we become Christ-like is serving others. And that means...dying to self.
Today’s second reading - that ancient hymn from Paul’s Letter to the Philippians - makes that point.
It sings that Christ - God the Father’s equal - didn’t grasp at being God. He emptied himself of divinity and took on suffering - to redeem us.
He became a slave - humbly dying on the cross. And God exalted him so that at the mention of his name the whole universe goes down on its knees.
Emptying ourselves. Stripping ourselves of vanity and pride. Serving others. God’s Son did this. We’re to do this!
***
Holy Week is a time to contemplate humility and our level of service.
We don’t approach the crucifixion of Christ by simply feeling bad about it.
What we have to do is look at what’s not humble in us. That has to be dragged out and crucified. God’s grace helps us.
***
For many, Lent has been spiritually rich. For others, perhaps Lent hasn’t kicked in yet. It’s not too late. A good Holy Week can still prepare us for a good Easter.
Confessions will be offered Monday through Wednesday afternoons and evenings.
And come to our beautiful services - the Mass of the Lord’s Supper Thursday at 7:30 pm - Good Friday’s Solemn Service at 3 pm - the Easter Vigil Mass Saturday night at 7:30 - or any of our Easter Sunday Masses.
May we “die to self” this week - so that we can rise again, with Christ, on Easter Sunday.
