The Hour Came April 1

Palm Sunday of the Lord’s Passion

by Peace and Justice Commission, Diocese of Arlington

Rev. Gerry Creedon, chairman

Anne Murphy, consultor

“The Master has need of it.” Luke 19:34

And I have not rebelled, have not turned back. Isaiah 50:4

Rather, he emptied himself,
taking the form of a slave,
coming in human likeness;
and found human in appearance,
he humbled himself,
becoming obedient to the point of death,
even death on a cross. Philippians 2:7-8

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. Luke 22:25-27

Piety

O God of perfect love, we thank you for the saving cross of your son Jesus, who dies that we might live. Give us courage this Holy Week to die to sin, sacrificing self-self-reliance, self-reliance, self-doubt, self-importance, self-hatred. Help us to love like Jesus, to pour ourselves out generously like a libation to show such example that others may know and love you. Humble our stony hearts; let everything we say and do profess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to your glory and praise. Amen.

Piguet, Leo. 100 Prayers for Celebrating Liturgical Seasons. (Allen, Texas: Thomas More )

Study

http://www.usccb.org/nab/040107.shtml

Today is the beginning of Holy Week, the most solemn week of the liturgical year. During the next several days, we will once again share the story of our salvation by remembering Jesus' last days on earth. Every year we begin our week with the Passion narratives. We walk with Jesus as he shares his last meal with his friends, knowing what the morrow will bring. In the Lucan account, after Jesus reveals that one of them will betray him, the disciples begin to argue among themselves as to whom is the greatest among them. Jesus reminds them all that the greatest among them is the one who serves. Jesus tells Peter that he has prayed for him in his time of trial, but Peter glibly reassures his Lord that he is prepared to even die with him. In the Garden of Olives, a very human Jesus asks the Father to take away all the suffering that he knows will come, his passion and crucifixion, and ignominious death on the cross. But Jesus is obedient to the will of the Father because of his great love for him.

Today his passion and death hold many lessons for us. Perhaps a very important lesson is in the comparison of the ways Jesus and Peter handled their fears. While Peter brags of all he would suffer with Jesus, he betrays any knowledge of Jesus to avoid the physical pain. Jesus, on the other hand, while wanting to be released from his agony, places all his faith and love in the Father who gives him the strength to endure what was to follow. We humans have no difficulty identifying with Peter. As the saying goes, “The spirit is willing but the flesh is weak.” Yet we should all know that without God's grace in our lives we are powerless. It is only when we place ourselves in God's hands that we are given the grace to follow the example of Jesus. Saint Paul tells us that we must have an attitude of Christ, and in the passage above he describes what that attitude is. And like Jesus, when we accept obedience until death, we will rise with him to enjoy eternal life with him.

Question: Do you think that Christ's example is too difficult to follow and so give up? Or do you pray for the grace to be the best disciple you can be?

Action

Spend a quiet hour where you can enjoy the beauty of nature and pray.

Celebrate the Triduum with your parish community.

Fasting:

Pledge to continue with at least one Lenten resolution after Easter.

Fast from food for one day between sunrise and sunset.

Fast from electronic media not used for work, such as computer games, i-pods and other MP3’s, radio, television and “I-M”ing (Internet or Text Messaging). Spend this time with God in prayer and scripture.

Fast from your car except when needed for work.

Almsgiving:

Give money or a meal to a homeless person you meet.

Try fasting from your car when not needed for work.

Make a meal for SOME, (So Others Might Eat) www.some.org.

Learn your ecological footprint at www.rprogress.org and commit to doing at least one thing that will reduce your ecological footprint.

Do not be afraid of reaching out to make someone’s day by performing a random act of kindness. Smile, greet strangers, hold the door open for the next person, call an estranged person, reach out to someone who is alone. Invite him or her to share in a meal with you. Comfort the sick and depressed. Visit someone in the hospital.

Save all your pocket change and put it in the CRS rice bowl collection. If your parish does not have one, contact Terry Angelotti, Arlington Diocese Coordinator for CRS at 703.841.3939, or e-mail www.crs.org to see how you can get your change to them.