Piankitank Priest

Palm Sunday of the Passion of the Lord

Mark 15:1-39

April 1, 2012

The people who lined the streets of Jerusalem to cheer for Jesus on Sunday were silent by Friday.

They expected a triumphant king but found instead a powerless prisoner.

He would be of no help to them in their dream of political liberation.

Judas hung his hopes on Jesus as a revolutionary.

When Jesus did not seize the strategic moment and rally the crowd to revolt on Palm Sunday, Judas’s hopes were dashed to the ground.

Jesus own hopes for Judas were also soured.

He had seen in Judas one filled with great concern for justice and the plight of the poor.

This is why he had given him the responsibility as treasurer for the apostolic company.

In Judas he had placed full confidence that he would see to the needs of the poor. Jesus, knowing that Judas had become embittered against him for his failure to use violence to overthrow the Romans, yet offered him a sign of love and acceptance.

He did not want Judas to feel rejected even though his militant tactics were dismissed.

In one last effort to draw Judas to his side,

he offered him the first dip of bread in the sop, a ritual sign displaying a desire for intimate friendship.

But Judas could not embrace a friend, only a cause.

Peter promised unwavering loyalty.

He was convinced of his own strength and moral character.

But his boastful crowing would be replaced with shameful swearing leading to remorseful weeping.

Herod was looking for an evening of entertainment, a show of magic and wit. But Jesus refused to go on stage.

The curtain closed on Jesus for his was no act.

Pilate, ever the insecure political appointee, saw in Jesus an opportunity to increase his approval ratings.

At first he did not know which direction the political winds were blowing on the issue of this wannabe king from Nazareth and so he sent him on to Herod.

When Herod sent him back, Pilate knew he had to do something, but he must be cautious not to go too far.

Trying to play the middle and yet please the religious righteous he offered a scourging of the poor Christ.

Seeking next to please the gathered populace, he offered to release Jesus.

But he misread their wishes, their compassion was spent and so, in the end, Pilate decreed that what they demanded should be done.

Jesus would be executed.

Pilate failed himself for not being the leader he was meant to be, for going against not only his own conscience but the God sent dream of his wife.

Pilate had before him a call to conversion, wholeness, and leadership. Instead, he chose the way of the populist and went with the pressuring tide of public opinion. In the end, his cowardly choice was his undoing.

His career was washed up.

He would never rise in the Roman halls of power.

Perhaps we may find ourselves in the characters of this Palm to Passion tragedy.

Are we like the palm crowd, waving our patriotic flags and saying we want what is best for society, but too often looking for the quick fix, the easy answers, the short sound bites?

We shout our political slogans, but we do not accept our own responsibility to bring about change.

Or are we like Judas, having a deep concern for the poor and for justice, willing to work hard for the advancement of our cause, but confused in our philosophy, not knowing that unless the path to peace is itself peaceful, we can never arrive at true peace?

Are we like Peter, showy among other religious, but weak in our worldly encounters?

God forbid that we be like to Herod. “Jesus make me happy. Jesus do this, Jesus do that for me.”

And when he does not we send him away.

Or are we like Pilate, knowing what is right, hearing the call of God and needing to take the risk toward our full calling but giving into our insecurities and our need to be liked?

Do we wash our hands of the responsibility of our actions and thus miss the fullness of life offered to us in the total baptismal cleansing?

If we answer yes to any or all of these questions, let us pray that we might hear the same overly generous response of Jesus, “Father forgive them for they know not what they do.”