Homily for Palm Sunday of the Lord's Passion, A

As we gaze upon the cross, there is a still point at the center where all is in harmony, all in balance. It is here at this point where the tensions of the crossings are equal and cannot pull. (The Center by Susan Palo Cherwien, Crossings: Meditations for Worship )

I have Mass on March 29 at St. Isidore @ 7:30/9:30 am. I will be part of the live Gospel of St. Matthew Passion at 7:30/9:30/11:30 am Masses.

The 7:30 am Mass will be live-streamed https://stisidore.church/worship-online/

frjoedailey@gmail.com

Transcript

In chapter 2 of the letter to the Philippians, Paul writes, "Christ Jesus, though he was in the form of God, did not regard equality with God something to be grasped. Rather, he emptied himself." This is the turning point. Christ has not become less like God in emptying himself. Jesus shows us what God has always been like. This is not God stepping out of character. This is God unveiled, downward, into love. Christ moves into the depth of human experience to meet us there. God does not remain above the pain. God enters into it to heal what is broken by entering it fully. 

Sitting at the Last Supper, Jesus took bread, said the blessing, broke it, and gave it to his disciples. "Take and eat. This is my body." His life is broken for us so that he can be with us in all our breakings. Jesus can see that Judas is heading for a breaking point that will so overwhelm him, Jesus tries to warn him, that he will wish he had never been born. Judas acts before he knows the whole story. He does not know that he's already been forgiven. The broken bread represents Jesus' soon-to-be-broken body, the result of Judas' betrayal, fed back to him as forgiveness. 

After the supper, Jesus told the disciples that they would all reach their breaking point. They would all fall away that very night. Peter, in particular, could not admit his vulnerability. "I will not break. These others may break, but not me." "Yes, Peter, this very night before the cock crows, you will deny me three times." 

Jesus remained centered in the Father's love. The Father opens his ears to hear that he might know how to speak a word to the weary. Try as they might, Peter and the two others could not keep awake with him for even one hour. Judas brought the guards to arrest him. The disciples fled. Peter followed at a distance, hiding in the shadows, watching to see how it would all end. 

As we gaze upon the cross, there is a still point at the center where all is in harmony, all in balance. It is here, at this point, where the tensions of the crossings are equal and cannot pull. 

It's like the wheel of destiny depicted in medieval illuminations. If you place yourself at the rim, you're constantly being pulled down or pushed up. 

But if you place yourself at the center, at the still point of the turning world, there is calm, there is peace.