Can we just skip this part? Noah Banasiewicz, SJ invites us to reflect on how Jesus suffered because of his love for us. You can read Palm Sunday here.
Can we just skip this part?
Hi, I’m Noah Banasiewicz, and this is my One-Minute Reflection.
Growing up as kid, I hated playing the game “Cops and Robbers.” Sure, it was fun to play the good guy and pretend to be a hero. But other times, pretending to be evil just felt weird. The truth is, nobody likes playing the bad guy.
I can’t help but feel this same tension in our readings for Palm Sunday. At the beginning of Mass we’re invited join the crowd in celebrating Christ’s entry into Jerusalem, shouting “Hosanna!”
Yet later, there is a stark change in mood: We join the crowd in shouting, “Crucify him! Crucify him!” Imagining ourselves in this dark moment in Jesus’ life can be hard. Reliving the hate and mockery he faced can make us want to skip this story altogether.
It can be easy to feel paralyzed in the sadness we feel. But that’s not the point of this day. Jesus didn’t suffer for us to feel uncomfortable and guilty. He did so because he loves us. How might we remain close to him in the midst of this? Within our sadness, how might we find a deeper appreciation for the gift Christ offers us on the cross?
