We've begun our Holy Week in the 3 Churches. Everything went well yesterday for Palm Sunday. I celebrated Mass Saturday 6.30 and Sunday 8.30 and 10.30 at Christ the King, then 6pm at St Brigid's, as Fr James was celebratingt the monthly Syro-Malabar Rite Mass at St Joseph's. That means I took the part of Our Lord four times during the Passion according to St Mark. What struck me particularly this year was how silent Jesus is during the last part of the Passion in St Mark's version. No words are recorded until his "Eloi. Eloi. Lama sabacthani!" from the Cross - the only words that Mark records from Our Lord during His last hours on earth. That cry seemed to pierce his silence, as if the Son of God was speechless faced with what was happening to Him. He can do no more, so now the only place He can turn is to the Father of All. The burden of our sins pushes Jesus to the limits of endurance. Yes, it IS the will of the Father for Him to go on, right to the end of this path, so the Father remains silent. We, too, must find a silence this week if we are to comprehend its saving events.
The picture is Pope Benedict celebrating Palm Sunday in Rome. How's that for decent sized palms! Tomorrow I'm looking forward to welcoming Corpus Christi High School to St Brigid's for "Born For This", their Holy Week liturgy.
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