Palm Sunday begins with a note of triumph as we recreate the scene of Jesus' triumphal entry into Jerusalem, riding on a donkey, with crowds waving palm branches and crying out, "Hosanna in the Highest!" But just like the final week in Jesus' life, the mood quickly changes as those same crowds, influenced by the religious leaders of the day, quickly turn against Jesus. Our focus turns to our Lord's "passion" or "suffering" for us.
Once each year, on Palm/Passion Sunday, we read the entire passion story from one of the gospels, as a congregational reading. This year the reading is from the Gospel of Mark. I think it is important to do this, for so seldom do we take the time to actually read the whole story of our Lord's suffering for us. This prepares us in a significant way for the triumph of the resurrection ye to come.
Mark's passion account begins with chapter 14:1and ends at 15:47. Mark's gospel is the shortest of the four gospels. Like the rest of his gospel, his passion story is lean and taut and moves quickly from the plot to arrest Jesus to his crucifixion and burial. Two major themes run through the entire passion story--one focusing on Jesus who with intense determination gives his life for others; the other, on those who surround Jesus, some withering in the cross of suffering, some exemplifying faith and courage.
There are six "scenes" in the passion account:
Mark 14:1-11 Fidelity and betrayal
14:12-31 The Final Passover
14:32-52 Gethsemane: Prayer and Arrest
14:53-72 Confession and Denial: Interrogation by the Sanhedrin
15:1-20 The Roman Trial before Pilate
15: 21-47 The Crucifixion and Burial
Throughout this account we see the faithful resolve of Jesus to carry out the Father's will, even when so many desert him. What seems like folly to the masses is really God at work to save the world. The new kingdom of forgiveness and grace is breaking in. The veil of the temple is torn in two, and faith is ignited in the Roman centurion who declares, "Surely this man was the Son of God!" His body is laid in the tomb, under the watchful eyes of Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of Joses. Although his disciples failed him, these faithful women did not. Soon, they would be the first declare the good news of the gospel, the resurrection of our Lord from the dead.
(note: Portions of these comments are from the writings of Donald Senior, a Roman Catholic priest of the order of Passionist Fathers, whose primary focus in on the accounts of Christ's passion. See http://www.cptryon.org/xpipassio/passio/index.html
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