Is 50:4-7; Phil 2:6-11; Mt 27:11-54
An elderly man was lying in the hospital, dying with an incurable illness. His wife, a strong Christian, called her parish and asked the priest if he would mind going to her husband and speaking with him.
The priest came to the man’s bedside and stood on his right. They began to talk about how wonderful Heaven would be. They discussed angels and the glorious gifts this good man would receive in Heaven.
“You know, sir,” the priest said, “You can’t take all your riches with you when you die. Why not contribute some money to your Church? We've been in need of a new stained-glass window. I think that would be just the thing to leave behind your legacy. Why, you can even have a message or a passage inscribed on it!”
The man thought for a moment and said, “That sounds very good, Father. How much would this window cost?”
“Oh, I’d say about $10,000 should cover it.”
The poor man nearly burst when he heard this, but knowing that what the priest had said was true -- he couldn’t take his riches with him – he decided to go ahead and fulfill the priest’s suggestion.
He retrieved his check book and was just about to write out the check when the doctor came in and stood on his left.
“Here’s your medical bill, sir,” the doctor said. This bill was also astronomical and the poor old man nearly died in shock.
He filled out a check and gave it to the doctor. As he began writing the check for the priest, he got an idea.
“Father,” he said, “did you say I could have anything I wanted written on that window?”
“Yes, sir, of course,” the priest said. The man began to scribble on the check and passed it to the priest.
“What do you want written on your window, sir?” asked the priest.
“Look at the check,” the man said. The priest looked down at the memo line at the bottom of the check. The man had written: “On my stained glass window I want written, ‘In Memory of John T. Smith. He died like Christ – between Two Thieves.’”
(The story is from an unknown author)
Today is called “Palm Sunday” because in the liturgy we commemorate the triumphal entrance of Jesus into Jerusalem that was marked by people, who were in Jerusalem for the Passover, waving palm branches and proclaiming him as Messianic King. The gospel says that on entering Jerusalem Jesus rode on a donkey (Mk 11:7), fulfilling the prophecy of Zechariah 9:9, and in so doing underlined simplicity, humility and peace that were distinguishing features of the kingdom he preached.
It is also known as “Passion Sunday” because during this time we remember Jesus’ final, agonizing journey to the cross. The word “passion” is from the Latin passio, which simply means “suffering”. The long gospel of the day is a graphic account of the passion of the Christ.
It is ironical that the Lord’s triumphal entry into Jerusalem also marked the beginning of his ultimate and great humiliation – his brutal passion and death on the cross. The same crowd who welcomed Jesus as new Davidic king would be the same people who cried out for his execution a few days later. Yet, the sacrificial act of Jesus culminated not in his death but in his glorious resurrection. The passion of the Christ was about the triumph of good over evil, forgiveness over sin, and life over death.
We consider this week special because it recalls the final days of our beloved Lord. Actually, we are not simply going to recall but relive the passion, death and resurrection of Jesus. What do we mean by “reliving”? The liturgy of the Church makes present for us and with us the mysterious, saving actions of Jesus. During the Holy Week, the liturgy enables us to be inserted into the mystery of the Lord’s dying and rising and allows our lives, pains and joys, sufferings and successes be united with Christ’s experience of these same realities. In a way, therefore, what we commemorate during this week is not just Jesus’ dying and rising, but our own dying and rising in Him. The sacrificial and glorious journey of Jesus is now our journey. And since we recall and relive these central events with Him, this week is aptly called “Holy Week”.
The holiest week of the year starts today. But for many people, does it make any difference? Perhaps yes, as they enjoy the holidays, as they go to the beach and other vacation destinations. But for us disciples of Jesus, what must we do to make this week truly different and holy?
First of all, we are encouraged to actively and heartily participate in the liturgies throughout the week, particularly in the Easter Triduum which begins with the evening Mass of Holy Thursday, reaches its focal point in the Easter Vigil, and culminates on Easter Sunday evening.
And secondly, we are invited to bring our lives to Jesus – all in us that need healing, forgiveness and redemption. Let us go to Jesus so that he who offered his life for our salvation can give us genuine peace and happiness by reconciling us to God and to one another.
An elderly man was lying in the hospital, dying with an incurable illness. His wife, a strong Christian, called her parish and asked the priest if he would mind going to her husband and speaking with him.
The priest came to the man’s bedside and stood on his right. They began to talk about how wonderful Heaven would be. They discussed angels and the glorious gifts this good man would receive in Heaven.
“You know, sir,” the priest said, “You can’t take all your riches with you when you die. Why not contribute some money to your Church? We've been in need of a new stained-glass window. I think that would be just the thing to leave behind your legacy. Why, you can even have a message or a passage inscribed on it!”
The man thought for a moment and said, “That sounds very good, Father. How much would this window cost?”
“Oh, I’d say about $10,000 should cover it.”
The poor man nearly burst when he heard this, but knowing that what the priest had said was true -- he couldn’t take his riches with him – he decided to go ahead and fulfill the priest’s suggestion.
He retrieved his check book and was just about to write out the check when the doctor came in and stood on his left.
“Here’s your medical bill, sir,” the doctor said. This bill was also astronomical and the poor old man nearly died in shock.
He filled out a check and gave it to the doctor. As he began writing the check for the priest, he got an idea.
“Father,” he said, “did you say I could have anything I wanted written on that window?”
“Yes, sir, of course,” the priest said. The man began to scribble on the check and passed it to the priest.
“What do you want written on your window, sir?” asked the priest.
“Look at the check,” the man said. The priest looked down at the memo line at the bottom of the check. The man had written: “On my stained glass window I want written, ‘In Memory of John T. Smith. He died like Christ – between Two Thieves.’”
(The story is from an unknown author)
Today is called “Palm Sunday” because in the liturgy we commemorate the triumphal entrance of Jesus into Jerusalem that was marked by people, who were in Jerusalem for the Passover, waving palm branches and proclaiming him as Messianic King. The gospel says that on entering Jerusalem Jesus rode on a donkey (Mk 11:7), fulfilling the prophecy of Zechariah 9:9, and in so doing underlined simplicity, humility and peace that were distinguishing features of the kingdom he preached.
It is also known as “Passion Sunday” because during this time we remember Jesus’ final, agonizing journey to the cross. The word “passion” is from the Latin passio, which simply means “suffering”. The long gospel of the day is a graphic account of the passion of the Christ.
It is ironical that the Lord’s triumphal entry into Jerusalem also marked the beginning of his ultimate and great humiliation – his brutal passion and death on the cross. The same crowd who welcomed Jesus as new Davidic king would be the same people who cried out for his execution a few days later. Yet, the sacrificial act of Jesus culminated not in his death but in his glorious resurrection. The passion of the Christ was about the triumph of good over evil, forgiveness over sin, and life over death.
We consider this week special because it recalls the final days of our beloved Lord. Actually, we are not simply going to recall but relive the passion, death and resurrection of Jesus. What do we mean by “reliving”? The liturgy of the Church makes present for us and with us the mysterious, saving actions of Jesus. During the Holy Week, the liturgy enables us to be inserted into the mystery of the Lord’s dying and rising and allows our lives, pains and joys, sufferings and successes be united with Christ’s experience of these same realities. In a way, therefore, what we commemorate during this week is not just Jesus’ dying and rising, but our own dying and rising in Him. The sacrificial and glorious journey of Jesus is now our journey. And since we recall and relive these central events with Him, this week is aptly called “Holy Week”.
The holiest week of the year starts today. But for many people, does it make any difference? Perhaps yes, as they enjoy the holidays, as they go to the beach and other vacation destinations. But for us disciples of Jesus, what must we do to make this week truly different and holy?
First of all, we are encouraged to actively and heartily participate in the liturgies throughout the week, particularly in the Easter Triduum which begins with the evening Mass of Holy Thursday, reaches its focal point in the Easter Vigil, and culminates on Easter Sunday evening.
And secondly, we are invited to bring our lives to Jesus – all in us that need healing, forgiveness and redemption. Let us go to Jesus so that he who offered his life for our salvation can give us genuine peace and happiness by reconciling us to God and to one another.
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