posted on March 26, 2010 10:30
It seems that most of us strive to be consistent in life. We make choices and try to stick to them. We give our word and try not to betray it. Dependability and predictability are rewarded in the workplace and on the playing field. Inconsistency and unwanted surprises are to be avoided as interruptions in a world of logic and order. So we say and so we think.
In the real world, however, as opposed to our fantasy world, we are inconsistent and fail to follow through with commitments all the time. Palm Sunday, then, you might say is the feast day of fickleness and shallowness of commitment. It begins with singing, dancing, shouts of welcome and approval and it ends in denial, betrayal, shouts of derision and death. In that way, Palm Sunday is also the feast of the contractions that characterize our lives as Christians despite our best efforts. Not a single one of us wants to ever betray Jesus Christ and do shallow flip-flops of faith. We want to be strong, committed, faithful and willing to stick with him even through his, suffering, cross and death. We want to be with him under the cross and we do not set out to run away.
It is helpful as we consider the inner contradictions of Palm Sunday to remember that the virtues of courage and steadfastness of faith are not achieved by hard work or strong desire alone. They are the fruits of transforming grace working in the hearts of receptive and open believers. The healing that we need in order to be ideal followers of Jesus comes only from God and as gift. We need to ask for this gift without ceasing and always. It is true that both of these virtues, courage and steadfastness of faith, mature in the subtle interplay of God’s grace and our yes of free will and choice. With the grace of God all is possible, even the overcoming of contradictions.
On Ash Wednesday, the cross etched on our foreheads from the ashes of palms is a powerful symbol that is also full of contradictions. It stands for torture, disgrace and death and also love, faithfulness and life. We can sign ourselves with the cross as a blessing only because Jesus Christ has overcome its contradictions and made it the clearest sign of God’s mercy and invincible power. Yet at times we still carry it in our lives with fear and hesitancy as well as heroism and courage. Such is the way of human contradictions.
It is a very beautiful and fruitful devotion to take the blessed palm given today and braid it into a cross. This cross of palms can serve as an eloquent reminder that we stood by the road into Jerusalem and cheered. It can also energize our efforts to keep cheering, keep singing hosannas, and keep carrying our crosses throughout the trials that will come. Palm Sunday and its contradictions never will be the last word or last deed. Alleluias will overcome.
Msgr. Michael D. McGraw