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Sunday, April 5, 2009, Passion (Palm) Sunday
Mark 11:1-10 (Entrance Processional), Isaiah 50:4-7, Philippians 2:6-11,
Psalm 22:8-9, 17-20, 23-24, Mark 14:1—15:47
Link to Readings --> http://www.usccb.org/nab/040509.shtml
THE PUNCH LINE
"Clearly this Man was the Son of God!" —Mark 15:39
Mark, in his Gospel, portrays Jesus as abandoned by all. The priests turn
against Him (Mk 15:1-3). Soldiers mock Him (Mk 15:16-20). So do the
thieves crucified on either side of Him (Mk 15:32). His disciples fall
asleep while Jesus is praying in the garden, then they abandon Him and
flee when He is arrested (Mk 14:37ff, 50). Judas even betrays Him while
pretending to show affection for Jesus (Mk 14:45). Finally, after
suffering hours of agony, Jesus quotes Psalm 22:2, possibly to confirm the
sense of utter abandonment, and then dies.
At the foot of Jesus' cross stands the Roman centurion, a military man who
commanded one hundred soldiers. He bore the responsibility of certifying
to the Roman leadership that the crucified men in his charge were truly
dead. The centurion had undoubtedly observed numerous crucifixions, and
was accustomed to observing the ignominious death of defeated enemies.
Jesus' crucifixion likewise pointed to abject failure and abandonment. By
human standards, we would expect the centurion to exclaim: "What a
failure! What a fraud! He got what He deserved." Instead the centurion
declared, "Clearly this Man was the Son of God!" (Mk 15:39)
The centurion's declaration is the "punch line" of Mark's Gospel. Get the
point. Accept Jesus as Lord, Savior, and God. Then live in a manner worthy
of one for whom God has died. Have a holy Holy Week.
Prayer: "My Lord and my God!" (Jn 20:28)
Promise: "The Lord God has given me a well-trained tongue, that I might
know how to speak to the weary a word that will rouse them." —Is 50:4
Praise: "Hosanna! Blessed is He Who comes in the name of the Lord!" (Mk
11:9)
(This teaching was submitted by a member of our editorial team.)
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Rescript: In accord with the "Code of Canon Law", I hereby grant my
permission to publish "One Bread, One Body" covering the period from April
1, 2009 through May 31, 2009
†Reverend Joseph R. Binzer, Vicar General of the Archdiocese of
Cincinnati, October 3, 2008
The rescript is a declaration that a book or pamphlet is considered to be
free of doctrinal or moral error. It is not implied that those who have
granted ecclesial permission agree with the contents, opinions, or
statements expressed.
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