Faith or Bravado?

Gospel: John 13: 21-33, 36-38

Today's Gospel portion demonstrates the illusions of faith we so often carry with us and that need removal in our lives.  We begin with the statement of Jesus that one will betray him.  At hearing this each disciple - and us - all say: "Surely, it is not I, Lord!"  Even when the betrayer is revealed the rest of the disciples are entirely clueless as to what is happening, still immersed in their own religious bravado, only to be repeated when they all state that they will die for the Lord.

This second boast is followed by Jesus telling their leader that he will deny him three times that very night.  Meanwhile, the rest of the braggarts - yes, we too - will abandon the Lord and hide in fear.  How often do we boast of our fidelity to the Lord, only to find ourselves rejecting him in the person of our neighbor whom we would malign and dehumanize!  How often do we leave people abandoned to the bloodlust of the crowd wanting death and deportation!  

Today's Gospel scene is a reenactment of the Pharisee and Publican at prayer in the Temple.  So often religion is the bravado of the Pharisee and our disciples today, and so rare is it the Publican's humility that we do not even find that humility in a single person in the upper room.  Today is a day for us to reflect on that scene once again and to find the humility we need to own our bravado and have that be what is crucified within us this week.  

Respecting the Poor

Gospel: John 12: 1-11

Today's Gospel portion contains the favorite passage of those who look to neglect and malign the poor, giving them justification to live to excess and not provide for the needs of the poor.  They overlook the fact that the text contains the general posture of the Christian is care for the poor, even if Judas himself were not sincere about it.  This particular event is an exception to the rule; it is not the rule of the Christian life itself.  

Emphasizing that point is the story of the rich man and Lazarus where the rich man neglects the needs of poor Lazarus and finds harsh judgment on himself.  At the same time, the story of the repentance of Zacchaeus shows the proper posture of the rich Christian who finds himself a thief of the needs of the poor.  He gives his ill-gotten gains to the poor and then some!  Care for the poor is the standard operating procedure for the Christian disciple.  

As we approach the end of Lent we may find that we have not done much to care for the poor as we ought.  Time still remains for us to do so in what remains of Lent and beyond.  During the Triduum we will be attending to other things and that is necessary.  Once completed, however, we must return with renewed vigor to the care of the poor among us, the immigrant, migrant, and refugee - and putting an end to the wars that create such conditions in our world.  

Entering the Scene

Gospel: Matthew 21: 1-11

Many homilists today will tell us that this crowd that welcomes Jesus into Jerusalem will in five short days turn on him and call for his execution.  But this is false.  They are two distinct crowds of people.  From all three accounts of today's event it is clear that today's crowd is a crowd of Jesus' disciples and followers who are making pilgrimage to Jerusalem for the feast of Passover.  They have organized this symbolic event to make a point.  The Good Friday crowd is organized by the religious leaders intent on putting Jesus to death.  

What point is being made with this parade? Jesus enters the city of peace on animals signifying peace. He does not come on a war steed seeking domination and armed conflict.  He comes in the spirit of peace to bring that peace to all.  Throughout his ministry Jesus entered a town providing healing, freedom from demons, and nourishment.  He told his disciples to go from town to town extending their peace to the place.  The entire ministry and posture of Jesus is one of peace extended to all.  

Symbolic events are important for us to make.  We must recognize they are performative and will not immediately result in what we hope for.  Yet their value lies in what posture we wish to have before the world.  Today's event, if we enter into it ourselves, is to put us in the posture of peace so that we might have that peace in the upcoming scenes of the passion we will encounter, that we might enter into them, see the choices that lay before us in them, and to endeavor to be that posture of peace in all we do each day.