1 st April, 2007

Palm Sunday - Year C

S: Good morning - today is Palm Sunday a day in which we are reminded of the entry of Jesus into Jerusalem a day, which marks the beginning of Holy Week.

B: Today is also known as the day of the long gospel, where the Passion of Jesus is read in all our churches. In a way this gospel helps us to try and imagine the last few days of Jesus’ life, and today is also the day that palms are blessed which represent the palms that the people of Jerusalem used to line the road as Jesus entered the city

S: You know Brenda, it reminds me of a phrase used by one of the Priests I know, “There’s nought so strange as folk”. How true it is – the same people who welcomed Jesus into Jerusalem with waving palms where calling for his crucifixion a few days later. I guess Holy week reminds us that there’s a bit of the crowd in all of us. It also reminds me of a painting by the Belgian Artist James Ensor called “Christ’s entry into Brussels”, which he painted in 1889. In the painting Christ is in a sense hidden away in the background arriving on his donkey, while marching bands and all sorts of strange characters process in front of him. Christ is in a place where he seems out of place – on the other hand isn’t Christ always with us in places that we think are out of place for him to be, and yet there he is with us.

B: Lord, when our world lay in ruins you raised it up again

through your passion and death.

Lord, of the sun and the stars, we celebrate with joy

the glory of your resurrection, for through it

the world is flooded with light.

O King of the Friday, whose limbs were stretched on the cross,

O, Lord, who suffered the bruises, the wounds, the loss,

We lay ourselves open to the loving kindness of your Sacred Heart.

May some fruit from the tree of your passion fall upon us on this day.

S: In the week ahead there’ll be a number of services taking place in all our churches, from Reconciliation Services to Easter Vigils. Church ceremonies at this time of year are very special. They recount for us in a very dramatic way a most amazing and hope-filled story of the death and resurrection of Jesus. Details of the ceremonies are available from your local Church.

B: And you know that the Passion Sunday Mass this Sunday on our televisions is being broadcast from Adare, in County Limerick. You’ve been listening to “Just a thought” with Brenda Cribbin

S: and Seamus Madigan. We can be contacted through the Limerick Diocesan Offices at Henry Street. You can also download your own copy of this reflection by clicking on limerickdiocese.org

S: We look forward to your company again next week, so take care...

S & B: Bye !!!!!!!

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