Fr Mike's Message - 4/10/22

The Gospel: ​Luke 23:1-49
The assembly of the elders of the people rose as a body and brought Jesus before Pilate. They began to accuse him, saying, "We found this man perverting our nation, forbidding us to pay taxes to the emperor, and saying that he himself is the Messiah, a king." Then Pilate asked him, "Are you the king of the Jews?" He answered, "You say so." Then Pilate said to the chief priests and the crowds, "I find no basis for an accusation against this man." But they were insistent and said, "He stirs up the people by teaching throughout all Judea, from Galilee where he began 
even to this place."
When Pilate heard this, he asked whether the man was a Galilean. And when he learned that he was under Herod's jurisdiction, he sent him off to Herod, who was himself in Jerusalem at that time. When Herod saw Jesus, he was very glad, for he had been wanting to see him for a long time, because he had heard about him and was hoping to see him perform some sign. He questioned him at some length, but Jesus gave him no answer. The chief priests and the scribes stood by, vehemently accusing him. Even Herod with his soldiers treated him with contempt and mocked him; then he put an elegant robe on him, and sent him back to Pilate. 
That same day Herod and Pilate became friends with each other; 
before this they had been enemies.
Pilate then called together the chief priests, the leaders, and the people, and said to them, "You brought me this man as one who was perverting the people; and here I have examined him in your presence and have not found this man guilty of any of your charges against him. Neither has Herod, for he sent him back to us. Indeed, he has done nothing to deserve death. I will therefore have him flogged 
and release him."
Then they all shouted out together, "Away with this fellow! Release Barabbas for us!" (This was a man who had been put in prison for an insurrection that had taken place in the city, and for murder.) Pilate, wanting to release Jesus, addressed them again; but they kept shouting, "Crucify, crucify him!" A third time he said to them, "Why, what evil has he done? I have found in him no ground for the sentence of death; I will therefore have him flogged and then release him." But they kept urgently demanding with loud shouts that he should be crucified; and their voices prevailed. So Pilate gave his verdict that their demand should be granted. He released the man they asked for, the one who had been put in prison for insurrection and murder, and he handed Jesus over as they wished.
As they led him away, they seized a man, Simon of Cyrene, who was coming from the country, and they laid the cross on him, and made him carry it behind Jesus. A great number of the people followed him, and among them were women who were beating their breasts and wailing for him. But Jesus turned to them and said, "Daughters of Jerusalem, do not weep for me, but weep for yourselves and for your children. For the days are surely coming when they will say, 'Blessed are the barren, and the wombs that never bore, and the breasts that never nursed.' Then they will begin to say to the mountains, 'Fall on us'; and to the hills, 'Cover us.' For if they do this when the wood is green, what will happen when it is dry?"
Two others also, who were criminals, were led away to be put to death with him. When they came to the place that is called The Skull, they crucified Jesus there with the criminals, one on his right and one on his left. Then Jesus said, "Father, forgive them; for they do not know what they are doing." And they cast lots to divide his clothing. And the people stood by, watching; but the leaders scoffed at him, saying, "He saved others; let him save himself if he is the Messiah of God, his chosen one!" The soldiers also mocked him, coming up and offering him sour wine, and saying, "If you are the King of the Jews, save yourself!" There was also an inscription over him, "This is the King of the Jews."
One of the criminals who were hanged there kept deriding him and saying, "Are you not the Messiah? Save yourself and us!" But the other rebuked him, saying, "Do you not fear God, since you are under the same sentence of condemnation? And we indeed have been condemned justly, for we are getting what we deserve for our deeds, but this man has done nothing wrong." Then he said, "Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom." He replied, "Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in Paradise."
It was now about noon, and darkness came over the whole land until three in the afternoon, while the sun's light failed; and the curtain of the temple was torn in two. Then Jesus, crying with a loud voice, said, "Father, into your hands I commend my spirit." Having said this, he breathed his last. When the centurion saw what had taken place, he praised God and said, "Certainly this man was innocent." And when all the crowds who had gathered there for this spectacle saw what had taken place, they returned home, beating their breasts. But all his acquaintances, 
including the women who had followed him from Galilee, stood at a distance, 
watching these things.

Prayer: ​Lord, you have promised that when two or three gather in your name you will be present with them. We depend on that promise today and pray that you will move among us. Lord, we pray that have you inspired Mike's preparation, that you will enliven his presentation and that you will empower our application.  Amen

The Message: I am going to try to not talk for very long this morning because there is hardly the need for a homily or sermon after what we have just heard read.

The Passion narrative is full of emotional and spiritual challenges. As we journey with Jesus through the events of Holy Week and ultimately to his death on the cross we experience a wide variety of emotional responses and spiritual challenges.

I am sure everyone found themselves identifying with some part or portion of the reading this morning. There are so many expressions of emotion throughout that reading. The people involved become passionately involved in their part of the events. It is not surprising that this reading has become known as The Passion or the Passion gospel or the Passion narrative.

Thinking about that led me to do some investigation of the word passion.

One dictionary definition of passion I looked at said this:
Passion is a very powerful feeling, for example, of love, hate, anger, or other emotion.

Another definition said this: passion is an intense, driving, or overmastering feeling. An outbreak of anger, or of ardent affection, a strong liking or desire for or devotion to some activity, object, or concept. An object of desire or deep interest.
 
We often talk about the passion that people have, don't we? We will talk about how passionate some folks are about particular people, or particular issues, or particular organizations. 

So it is interesting that this Sunday is designated as the Sunday of the Passion of Christ. I am sure that we can all see how Christ expresses his love, ardent affection, and his devotion in his willingness to go through the events of this week. It is also interesting that he doesn't allow anger and hate to dominate his actions. He doesn't retaliate, he doesn't allow what most of us would consider an understandable expression of an outbreak of anger.  As we read through this account we can see and hear the passion that Jesus expresses on behalf of his Heavenly Father for his people. There is a wealth of meaning and examples of passion in this reading.  We can easily say that Jesus was passionate about what he was going through.

But that is not the whole story. As I looked in various dictionaries, both secular and religious dictionaries,  I was struck by what is now defined as the "obsolete" meaning of passion. Particularly as you reference what we have come to know as The Passion or the Passion of Jesus.

That definition reads like this:
The redemptive suffering of Jesus Christ in the events surrounding his death. The term is from the Latin word "passio," which is translated as “suffering.”

So when we are reading this account in the Gospels we come to understand that we are actually reading the account of Jesus' suffering. His redemptive suffering.

His passion for God's people led him to be willing to suffer. He was so passionate about us that he was willing to suffer for us.

So, what does that mean for us? This really adds a much deeper and resonating sense to what we have heard read to us this morning. Jesus is God's expression of the passion that he has for his creation.

So that leads me to my question for us all this week:
What is it that you are passionate about?

Or if we look at the Latin root meaning, "passio," which is translated as “suffering.”
What, or who, would you, are you, willing to suffer for? As followers of Jesus, we are challenged to follow his example. We are offered the opportunity to express our passion.

On this Sunday of the Passion we have the opportunity to follow Jesus' example:
We can see how Christ expresses his love, ardent affection, and his devotion in his willingness to go through the events of Holy Week. It is also interesting that he doesn't allow anger and hate to dominate his actions. He doesn't retaliate, he doesn't allow what most of us would consider an understandable expression of an outbreak of anger.

So, as I end this morning I am going to ask again: "what is it that you are passionate about?" What, or who, is it that you would be willing to suffer for?" What is your Passion?  Can we pray the Collect for this morning honestly and with a desire to commit ourselves to God's work and purposes among us?

Almighty and everliving God, in your tender love for the human race you sent your Son our Savior Jesus Christ to take upon him our nature, and to suffer death upon the cross, giving us the example of his great humility: Mercifully grant that we may walk in the way of his suffering, and also share in his resurrection; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen."