Homily for Palm Sunday
Mark 11:1-10; Isaiah 50:4-7; Psalm 22:8-9, 17-18, 19-20, 23-24 (2a); Philippians 2:6-11; Mark 14:1-15:47
While there is much we can focus on in today’s readings – Jesus triumphant entry into Jerusalem, Isaiah’s prediction of the messiah’s treatment, or Paul’s description of Jesus, let us focus on the Passion of the Lord, and more specifically, Peter’s denial of Jesus.
At the Last Supper, Jesus tells the disciples their faith would be shaken. But Peter proclaims his will not be shaken. Then Jesus predicts Peter will deny him three times, before the cockcrows twice. Peter responds the he would die, before denying Jesus. And in a few hours, Peter is challenged three different times, with his final denial with curses, he swears, “I do not know this man”, followed by the second crow.
Which leads to the question each of us needs to examine, when have I denied Jesus?
Have you ever been in a restaurant or other public place to eat a meal, with family or friends, or even by yourself, and failed to pray the Prayer before Meals, because you didn’t want others to look at you or ask you why you were praying?
Have you ever been challenged by a family member or friend about you faith, or why you wear a “cross”, and you remained silent, changed the subject or simply walked away?
Have you every skipped Morning Prayer because you wanted just a few more minutes of sleep, before heading off to work or school?
Have you ever skipped a Sunday mass because there was work to do, a game to watch, a fish to catch, a beautiful day to enjoy, or simply don’t get anything out of Mass?
These and many more are ways we have denied Jesus, ways I have denied Jesus.
And even though, we too often deny Jesus, Jesus never denies us. As he suffered in the garden of Gethsemane, knowing what he would have to endure in the next hours, he wanted to avoid all of it. He asked his Father to “take this cup away from me.” But he also knew his mission, his purpose in this world, and he knew the Father’s will. To open the gates of heaven for all of us, Jesus must suffer and die.
We too have a mission from God. God’s will is for each of us to prepare ourselves to one-day pass through those gates Jesus opened, and enter heaven. But we are not to enter heaven by ourselves; we are called to help others prepare to enter heaven with us. How do we accomplish our mission? We must always keep our focus on Jesus. Jesus taught us how to live. Jesus taught us how to pray. Jesus taught us how to love.
In order to do this, in order to keep our focus on Jesus, we need to find where we are denying Jesus, and change our lives.
If you don’t have a daily prayer routine, start. Our prayer life needs to be more than just the Sunday Mass and asking for God’s help in times of trouble. Ideally, we are praying throughout the day, everyday. Which includes praying before meals, both at home and in public. That simply motion of making a sign of the cross, seen by someone else, may be what prompts them into a relationship with Jesus. It may cause a person whose faith has gone out, to be re-ignited.
If you want to know more about your faith, or if you are avoiding conversations with family or friends about faith because you are unsure of your knowledge, or maybe even question your own faith, take advantage of all that is available to us. Our parish has faith formation for all ages – preschool through adult. We have a library full of books, CDs and DVDs. We have small group gatherings, prayer groups, and many ways to learn more about our faith. In addition, there are programs such as VSI and Lay Ministry, along with many other programs and opportunities to grow in our faith at the Diocese level and beyond. Take advantage of all these ways to grow in our faith, to help keep our focus on Jesus, and help ourselves, and others, on the journey to heaven.
For one whose focus is on Jesus, missing a Sunday Mass isn’t an option. We want to be here. And sometimes, when we come, we struggle to participate, to keep watch as Jesus asked of Peter, James and John. Sometimes all we can do is be present, and sometimes that is all Jesus asks us to do, just as he did for the other displaces, “Sit here while I pray.” By simply being present, we are not denying Jesus. But, by fully participating in the Mass, by singing the songs (even if we don’t have a singing voice), by saying the responses out loud, we are saying to Jesus, we recognize and praise you.
For our young families, sometimes all the parents feel they can try to accomplish at Mass is to try and keep their kids quiet and still. And when they are unsuccessful, it can be a distraction for others; it can disrupt our prayer and our participation. But the presence of those little ones, even the noisy and disruptive ones, is a sign of a thriving and growing parish; a place young families feel welcome to bring their children. When a young face beams a toothy smile our direction, it helps to soften our hearts, and puts a smile on our face. It can be their way, of helping us, get to heaven. If you are sitting near a young family offer to show a child where to find the prayers in the missal, or explain to them what is happening at that point in the Mass. By offering to help, you may be giving that parent a few moments of time to pray, and helping all of them, and yourself, on the journey to heaven.
And if this sounds like a lot, like too much to fit into our already busy lives, maybe we need to reevaluate what is important in our lives. We don’t need to have our kids involved in every sport and activity available. We don’t have to spend all of our free time working and making money, gaining influence and power, hunting and fishing, or other activities. If we put those things ahead of Jesus, we are denying Jesus.
By taking some time to look a where we’ve been denying Jesus, then taking action to avoid those denials, we will be well on our way to accomplish our mission here on earth, and be prepared to enter the gates of heaven.
And the next time you hear a cockcrow, let it be a reminder, it is time to once again, reevaluate your priorities.
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