GOSPEL
Jerusalem Bible © 1966 by Darton, Longman & Todd Ltd and Doubleday & Company Inc.
They lead Jesus out to crucify him … They brought him to the place called Golgotha, which means the place of the skull. They offered him wine mixed with myrrh, but he refused it. Then they crucified him, and shared out his clothing, casting lots to decide what each should get. It was the third hour when they crucified him. The inscription giving the charge against him read: ‘The King of the Jews.’ And they crucified two robbers with him, one on his right and one on his left.
The passers-by jeered at him; they shook their heads and said, ‘Aha! So you would destroy the Temple and rebuild it in three days! Then save yourself: come down from the cross!’ The chief priests and the scribes mocked him among themselves in the same way. ‘He saved others,’ they said, ‘he cannot save himself. Let the Christ, the King of Israel, come down from the cross now, for us to see it and believe.’ Even those who were crucified with him taunted him.
When the sixth hour came there was darkness over the whole land until the ninth hour. And at the ninth hour Jesus cried out in a loud voice, ‘Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachtani?’ which means ‘My God, my God, why have you deserted me?’ When some of those who stood by heard this, they said, ‘Listen, he is calling on Elijah.’ Someone ran and soaked a sponge in vinegar and, putting it on a reed, gave it to him to drink saying, ‘Wait and see if Elijah will come to take him down.’ But Jesus gave a loud cry and breathed his last.
(Mark 15:1–39, abridged)
DID YOU KNOW?
Points of interest and Catholic lore
- Golgotha is a Semitic word that means ‘skull’. The name Calvary comes from the Latin translation of ‘skull’. It is likely that the name comes from the habitual use of the site for executions.
- Passion or Palm Sunday is the beginning of what is known as Holy Week, a period of intense preparation for the ceremonies of Holy Thursday, Good Friday and the Easter Vigil.
- The Passion of Christ refers to his arrest, trial and death.
- Jesus is in Jerusalem at this time to celebrate the Festival of Passover.
EXPLORING THE WORD
Depending on how your parish celebrates the procession of palms and reading of the Passion, there are many readings that could form the basis of reflection. Mark’s story of the triumphant entry of Jesus into Jerusalem (Mark 11) for this his last Passover is in sharp contrast to the Passion narrative. Only days before his arrest and trial, Jesus had been hailed by the crowds, who spread their cloaks on the road, waved greenery in homage and shouted Hosanna. It is this same crowd of pilgrims to the festival who turn on him and shout ‘Crucify him’ to Pilate and taunt him on the cross. Even the disciples are a disappointment. They are unable to stay awake and pray in the garden as he contemplates his fate. At his arrest, one young man even leaves behind his cloak rather than be taken with Jesus. Peter denies he even knew him. Jesus dies totally alone and abandoned, his human frailty to the fore. Only some faithful women watch from a distance to see the final outcome. But the faithful come to know that through this death comes the rising and the glorification.
- What does the passion of Jesus tell us about where God is in the suffering of the world and in our own personal suffering?
- What is Mark expressing in this image of Jesus as abandoned even by those who have followed him?
- If, as scholars suggest, Mark is writing for a community of believers in Rome who are undergoing persecution and even death, how may this image of Jesus’ suffering resonate with them? What comfort may they take from this image of Christ?
MAKING CONNECTIONS
Opportunities for group discussion and personal prayer
- What moments of utter abandonment have you experienced?
- Have you ever been jeered at by others? How did you feel?
- Spend time reflecting on the events of the Passion of Jesus. What does it mean for you that Jesus died for all humanity?
- Share stories of occasions of desolation in your life.
- Share reflections on how you respond to the abandonment that Jesus experienced. Can you make connections?
- Make this prayer often this week:
Save us, Saviour of the world, for by your cross and resurrection, you have set us free.
SHARING THE TRADITION
A closer look at the Scripture of the day, to see how it makes more explicit God’s word to us through the teachings of Jesus Christ
One of the great devotions associated with this period of the Church year is the Stations of the Cross (sometimes called the Way of the Cross). There are traditionally fourteen stations associated with events of the arrest, trial and death of Jesus. To travel and meditate on these events is a centuries-old practice, with some evidence of similar devotion going back as far as the fifth century. It is a practice that was promoted by the Franciscans who were given custody of the Holy Places in the Holy Land in the 1300s.
- You could view a video of pilgrims following the traditional Way of the Cross in Jerusalem.
- You could examine the Stations of the Cross in your church or use a contemporary Stations of the Cross that draws parallels between current issues and the Passion of Christ.
SYMBOLS AND IMAGES
The palms used today symbolise Christ’s triumph, while the cross is the symbol of the death through which his triumph is achieved. Traditionally, Catholics take the palms and place them in a position of prominence in their homes as a reminder of the passion Christ endured for us. The palm is often attached to a cross, uniting these two symbols. Do you have a cross or crucifix in your home?
LIVING THE WORD
Practical ideas for group leaders to employ in connecting Scripture and daily life, with suggestions for music and environment
- In what ways does your community celebrate the events of the Passion? Are there roles which the elect could take in the ceremonies of Holy Week?
- Use a cross and some palms as a focus for prayer. Allow some quiet time for meditation on the events of the Passion, perhaps singing or quietly listening to ‘Jesus remember me’ (GA 308). Pray for each other, especially those who are approaching baptism. Conclude with the prayer of exorcism in RCIA at §94F.