Palm Sunday of the Passion of the Lord, Year A - 9th April 2017
It seems years ago now that John McCarthy CBE, a British journalist, and Brian Keenan of Belfast were held in captivity for five years in Beirut. Later Brian wrote a book entitled "An Evil Cradling". When we read how these men grew in friendship and prayer in such a milieu of death we are tempted to rename the book ‘A Joyful Re-birthing.’
The Great Week
Holy Week is called the Great Week beginning with Palm Sunday in anticipatory and rapturous joy as the Messiah is welcomed to Jerusalem, followed by his death on Good Friday and ending with the great acclamation of Easter Sunday: ‘Christ is risen, Alleluia, Alleluia.’
A World needing to be re-birthed
St. Teresa of Calcutta was once asked as to why she was not challenging the structural injustices of the world which rendered millions poverty-stricken? Her firm, but gentle response was, ‘Well, while you sort out the injustices of the world, I will nurse it.’
The Road to Calvary
The road to Calvary this week moves from Westminster Bridge to St. Petersburg, to war-torn Syria and many other parts of our global world. Jesus is weeping not only for the women of Jerusalem but for the mothers of those who are led into ideological death through deception, for the mothers and fathers of the holy innocents and, for the holy martyred innocents of present wars.
From the Cross in Bethlehem to the Cradle on Calvary
It is said that there was a cross in Bethlehem whereas there was a cradle on Calvary. Calvary is the place where Jesus makes re-birthing possible for all of us.
Walking the Walk with Jesus in Holy Week
The Christian community invites you this week to do the walk with Jesus on Holy Thursday when we are given the Eucharist, on Good Friday as we walk the road to Calvary and the Easter Vigil, when we walk from darkness to light to a new day, a day of re-birthing on Easter morning. May this Easter bring a joyful re-birthing to a fragile world longing to be nursed in love.
Fr. Michael McCullagh C. M.