Palm Sunday

Today we read Mark’s account of Jesus’ Passion and we may find ourselves asking, “Where do I stand?” Yes it is the long Gospel but we should try not to miss the journey that this offers us this week.

The cry of abandonment on the cross has to be one of the most frightening aspects of this account: “Eloi, Eloi Lema Sabbachtani?” My God, my God, why have you deserted me? (Psalm22). Jesus’ sense of loneliness is emphasised in Mark as he is betrayed, rejected, denied, mocked, tortured and then, at the crucial moment, even God is silent.

We also see an unlikely hero in the Roman soldier who confesses Jesus’ identity. We can remember those today who stand for justice, who fight for human rights, those who are counter-cultural, those who stand against oppressive systems even though the path is dangerous and lonely.

“Lord how true it is that success and popularity are not really important in life. The only important thing is that some unbelieving centurion, seeing how we live and die could say, ‘In truth, this was a son/daughter of God.” (Michael de Verteuil).