Palm Sunday: The Passion of Our Lord in the Gospel

by Jael SC · Published March 25, 2018 · Updated March 20, 2018

By Fr John Allen Green – Today we allow the Gospel of our Lord’s Passion to speak for itself. Let us reflect on these events as they affect us today in our modern busy lives. The betrayal of Christ starts with someone from the inner circle; someone from the community; Judas Iscariot.Judas went to the chief priests and asks: ‘What are you prepared to give me if I hand him over to you?” Perhaps we too have been betrayed by someone from the inner circle that needs God’s healing touch.

Judas went to the Jewish authorities and asks; “what’s in it for me?”Judas seeks to bypass the passion and death and go directly to the resurrection and eternal life. What’s in it for me? Perhaps Judas can be described as the first ‘pseudo-Christian of the prosperity cult!’

On the other hand, we hear that the disciple came to Jesus and asked; “what do you want us to do for you.”Judas asked “What will you give me?” – The disciples asked “what can we do for you?” Let us remember here that it is Jesus the Christ who is being betrayed; Christ the head of the community; Christ the head of the Church.

How often do we also get it wrong; seeing the Church as somehow separate from Christ and separate from ourselves? It is people who betray Christ; in His community which is His Body, the Church.

So often we hear from those separated from the Church by discouragement: “The Church has let me down; the priest was rude to me; the principal at the school didn’t listen to me; all they want is your money?” Then there are those who have quietly slid into the easy way, “I can worship God just as well in my garden; Sunday is the only day I have off to be with my family; we have sport commitments on Sundays.”

But in the end, when all is said and done, this is betrayal of Christ and no different to the betrayal by Judas. St Paul’s words in other circumstances can fittingly be applied here: “You are separated from Christ; you have fallen from grace.”

You Jesus he is fully aware of Judas’ betrayal. We have heard this betrayal announced to the Apostles, not only to let them know that his time is near but to give Judas a chance to repent. Instead of humbly thinking the matter through and recognising his mistake Judas continues to pretend: Not I, Rabbi, surely! Judas has persuaded himself that resurrection and eternal life is possible without Jesus.

Jesus celebrates the Last Supper even in the presence of the betrayer. Judas hears the words of Consecration but is unmoved.The betrayal of Judas is a betrayal of the Eucharist. Every betrayal of the church is a betrayal of Christ; betrays the Eucharist.

Jesus speaks of Judas’ betrayal in terms of the Scriptures and now, after supper, he speaks of his disciples’ loss of faith ‘in accordance with the Scriptures’. Peter and the rest of the disciples contradict him; they claim they will never lose faith. They contradict not only Jesus but also the Scriptures! Where do we stand in this matter?

But let us hasten to acknowledge that every betrayal is redeemable. No one ever needs to be lost. The road back to Christ is open to all, to Peter, to the other disciples, and even to Judas.

At that first Eucharist of Jesus there sits Judas who is about to betray him and on the other hand sit the disciples who would desert him. Even now they reject his prophetic word which is, even though they do not realise it, essentially a rejection of Jesus himself, the Word of God.

Judas has now left the community of the disciples. He has become the first bad Catholic. He has betrayed the fellowship, the community of the Lord, the Church.

But Jesus has a work to complete. He heads off to the Garden of Gethsemane, followed by his dazed and disheartened disciples. Let us go too, in all our weakness and hesitation. Perhaps we will, with the Eleven; learn what he wishes to teach us; to become what he wants us to become; one with God’s very self.