Passion Sunday or Palm Sunday, Cycle C, April 1,2007

Scripture: Isaiah 50:4-7. Psalm 22:8-9,17-18, 19-20,23-24. Philippians
2:6-11. Luke 22:14-23:56: Lectionary #

Luke's narrative of the Passion is what we have for our liturgical reading
this Sunday. John, of course, is always read on Good Friday. The
Synoptics Mark and Matthew are used for the liturgical cycles called A and
B. Luke belongs to the C cycle of the sequence of three years. From a
literary and theological perspective, the narratives are different, but the
basic story and the events are among the oldest parts of the Gospels that
had achieved a fixed form which we call the Passion Narrative. I like to
remind myself of what Martin Dibelius said, "In the beginning was the
Passion Narrative." Perhaps, that is why we can almost follow the last
seven days of Jesus rather closely according to the narratives of the
Gospels. Luke's theology affects our understanding of the Passion
Narrative as a journey of Jesus which will end with his Ascension near
Jerusalem at Bethany. This journey leads him through the suffering and
death on the Cross to his glorious reign at the right hand of God. The
Ascension is the final event of Jesus life here on earth. Luke alone
carries this from his Gospel into the Acts of the Apostles which he
authored. The duration of Jesus appearances as forty days also comes from
Luke and fits in with his theology of Jesus journey back to the Father.
The journey motif is found in the Infancy Narratives and then in the long
middle part of Luke's Gospel from chapter 9:51 to chapter 19:57. During
these journeys we unite ourselves with the disciples and learn the cost and
formative process of what it takes to follow Jesus in his active ministry
into the Paschal Mysteries which we focus on in the Passion Narratives.
The Transfiguration scene is part of our learning who Jesus is and how
important it is to follow him throughout his entire life and ours. He
speaks with Moses and Elijah about his Exodus or journey and way back to
the eternity of the Father. We are forewarned about the difficulties we
face through this outstanding event of the Transfiguration. Community,
mission, prayer, discipleship are all part of the journey to the Ascension.
We develop our faith through prayer and reflection on these events and it
is in the "breaking of the bread" that we come to recognize Jesus as did
those on the road to Emmaus. Luke's Passion Narrative serves as our
meditation for the days before the Last Supper. We are soon to be immersed
in the Paschal Mysteries and led to the glory of the resurrection. The
Ascension as presented by Luke is the end of Jesus' journey and a model for
our own. Jesus bestows the blessing on us as he departs and fortifies us
for the rest of our personal journeys and those of the believing community.
Luke gives us this beautiful conclusion of Jesus journey and our continuing
it, but it includes the blessing of Jesus:
Then he led them out as far as Bethany, and lifting up his hands, he
blessed them. He withdrew from them and was carried up into heaven. And
they worshipped him, and returned to Jerusalem with great joy; and they
continued in the temple blessing God." We carry on this journey of Jesus
and the disciples by our active participation in the holy days that happen
this coming week. Amen.