Israel’s Decision: The Passion of our Lord, 2024

                                                              Israel’s Decision:

The Passion of our Lord, 2024 

March 24, 2024

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Isaiah 50:4-7; Psalm 22; Philippians 2:6-11; Mark 14:1-15:47

 

The triumphal entrance to Jerusalem was the big moment of the ministry of Jesus. He accomplished his preaching on the reign of God and needed to see if Israel would accept God’s rule. His entire existence and life’s work was for the sake of the reign of God to be rooted within Israel. He enters the Holy City as a victorious Messianic King to take possession of the City for God. He also enters as a lowly person before God ridin on a donkey, but he is the ultimate, righteous rule who does the will of God.

 

          Though we know the rest of the story, we are still filled with excitement and anticipation. The entrance of Jesus was an unmistakable sign that he truly represented God. He arrived in the city as a poor, unarmed king, the Messiah of peace, the one who faithfully proclaimed God’s reign. He rejected all force and violence as he called Israel to make a fundamental decision. Will the City as a symbol of all of Israel accept God’s rule? The Temple was the center of Israel, which was celebrating its greatest feast with inhabitants and pilgrims. All of Israel was being called to account. This was Israel’s decision day. This was big. Scripture says, “The whole city was shaken.” Who is this man who has captured the hearts and minds of so many people? What does this mean for Israel?

 

          The conflict with the religious establishment intensifies as Jesus forces Israel to choose. Will Israel recognize the inbreaking of the kingdom and become a part of this new Israel that Jesus is assembling around him? This is the hour. The Passover feast is near, and Jesus will celebrate this sacred meal, but he is bringing about something new, a new Israel, one that was more faithful to God’s rule. The nation must decide, and Jesus knows he may be a rejected prophet who will be handed over, lifted up, but all done for the sake of Israel. 

 

          We see what Israel chose. Jesus points us that God is always faithful. This week, we watch in slow motion what happens with Jesus, and we keep an eye on the movements of God, who stands by Jesus. The week remains a celebration of what God is doing with Jesus, even amidst pain and suffering. God hopes Israel will return wholeheartedly to the covenantal promises. It is our decision day too. Can we see the inbreaking of God’s reign in our world today through Jesus? He is creating something new today. He showed us that God’s fidelity never wavers, and as long as our world exists, God will stay faithful to us, even in our darkest hour. This is the reason we wave our palms. We remember. We know. We believe.

 

 

Scripture for Daily Mass

 

Monday of Holy Week: We hear from Isaiah 42 in the First Oracle of the Servant of the Lord in which God’s servant will suffer silently but will bring justice to the world. In the Gospel, Lazarus’ sister, Mary, anoints Jesus’ feet with costly oil in preparation for his funeral.

Tuesday of Holy Week: In the Second Oracle of the Servant of the Lord (Isaiah 49), he cries out that I will make you a light to the nations, that my salvation may reach the ends of the earth. In deep hurt, distress and grief, Jesus tells his closest friends at supper that one of them will betray him and another will deny him three times before the cock crows.

(Spy) Wednesday of Holy Week: In the Third Oracle of the Servant of the Lord (Isaiah 50), the suffering servant does not turn away from the ridicule and torture of his persecutors and tormentors. The time has come. Matthew’s account shows Judas eating during the first day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread with Jesus and their good friends after he had already arranged to hand him over to the chief priests for thirty pieces of silver. The Son of Man will be handed over by Judas, one of the Twelve, who sets the terms of Jesus’ arrest.

Mass of the Lord’s Supper on Holy Thursday: Only an evening Mass can be said today and we let our bells ring freely during the Gloria that has been absent all Lent. In Exodus, we hear the laws and customs about eating the Passover meal prior to God’s deliverance of the people through Moses from the Egyptians. Paul tells us of the custom by early Christians that as often as we eat this bread and drink this cup, we proclaim the death of the Lord until he comes. In John’s Gospel, Jesus loves us to the end giving us a mandate to wash one another’s feet.

Good Friday: No Mass is celebrated today though there may be a service of veneration of the cross and a Stations of the Cross service. In Isaiah, we hear the Fourth Oracle of the Servant of the Lord who was wounded for our sins. In Hebrews, we are told that Jesus learned obedience through his faith and thus became the source of salvation for all. The Passion of our Lord is proclaimed from John’s Gospel.

Holy Saturday and the Easter Vigil: No Mass, baptisms, or confirmations can be celebrated before the Vigil to honor the Lord who has been buried in the tomb. The Old Testament readings point to God’s vision of the world and the deliverance of the people from sin and death. All of Scripture points to the coming of the Righteous One who will bring about salvation for all. The Old Testament is relished during the Vigil of the Word as God’s story of salvation is told to us again. The New Testament epistle from Romans tells us that Christ, who was raised from the dead, dies no more. Matthew's Gospel finds Mary Magdalene and the other Mary at dawn arriving at the tomb only to find it empty. After a great earthquake that made the guards tremble, and angel appears telling the women, "Do not be afraid." The angel instructs them to go to the Twelve to tell them, "Jesus has been raised from the dead, and is going before you to Galilee." 

 

Saints of the Week

 

No saints are remembered on the calendar this week.

 

This Week in Jesuit History

 

• March 24, 1578: At Lisbon Rudolf Acquaviva and 13 companions embarked for India. Among the companions were Matthew Ricci and Michael Ruggieri. 
• March 25, 1563: The first Sodality of Our Lady, Prima Primaria, was begun in the Roman College by a young Belgian Jesuit named John Leunis (Leonius). 
• March 26, 1553: Ignatius of Loyola's letter on obedience was sent to the Jesuits of Portugal. 
• March 27, 1587: At Messina died Fr. Thomas Evans, an Englishman at 29. He had suffered imprisonment for his defense of the Catholic faith in England. 
• March 28, 1606: At the Guildhall, London, the trial of Fr. Henry Garnet, falsely accused of complicity in the Gunpowder Plot. 
• March 29, 1523: Ignatius' first visit to Rome on his way from Manresa to Palestine. 
• March 30, 1545: At Meliapore, Francis Xavier came on pilgrimage to the tomb of St. Thomas the Apostle.