PALM SUNDAY 2008
Palm Sunday 2008
There is a story about a six-year-old granddaughter Sarah who was visiting her grandparents. Sarah’s grandparents are a wonderful couple who have been happily married for over 40 years. They have just moved into their dream retirement home. They love each other very much, but on this particular day when Sarah was there for her visit, they were still in the process of moving and arranging furniture.They were trying to move a large chair through a narrow doorway? and sometimes when a husband and wife try to move a large chair through a narrow doorway, they (how shall I put this?), well? they get a little frustrated and they say things to each other in a different sounding tone of voice than they normally use, things like? "Watch it! Watch it! Don't put it down! Turn it to the left! I said ?the left'! Lift it higher! Hold it up! Twist it this way!"Well, as this husband and wife were moving the chair, trying to maneuver it through the door and shouting instructions to each other, six-year-old Sarah suddenly ran up to them. She held both hands up in the air to get their attention and said, "Stop! Wait a minute! We need to talk. I need to say something to you!" They stopped and she put her hands on her hips and said, "Now, you two are just going to have to learn how to get along? Now, I know your temperatures go up every now and then, but you have to learn how to deal with that and get along with each other!""Oh, Sarah," her grandmother said, (chuckling within), "We love each other dearly. We weren't really fussing." "Well, it sounded like fussing to me," Sarah responded. "Oh, no," they said, "We love each other so much."Sarah’s grandparents began to demonstrate their love by hugging and kissing and patting each other affectionately and saying, "Look, Sarah. See how much we love each other?" And Sarah said, "Now that's the way it's supposed to be!"
I find at times that I can ponder the Passion story as an historical event back then, 2000 years ago. My reaction is that of sadness, sorrow and regret for my sins. But then I recognise that this is strictly a me-and-my-Jesus reaction. A sad privitizing of my beliefs.
I realize that I must expand my consciousness from a one-on-one reaction to include all those who are suffering. I must expand my consciousness because Jesus suffered and died for everyone out of boundless love. And commanded us to love one another as he loves us just as Sarah’s grandparents loved each other. I must expand my consciousness because Jesus is still being crucified in all those who suffer.
We all suffer in ways as different as the colors in a spectrum. In general we all suffer the pangs of reality. In particular some suffer physically. Some suffer emotionally or psychologically. Some suffer in interpersonal relationships. Some suffer from unfulfilled dreams and underachievement. Some suffer spiritually anywhere from neurotic scrupulosity to a devil-may-care indifference. Some suffer in quiet desperation and some suffer in loud rebellion against God.
What is Jesus’ passion and death saying to you today here and now in your everyday life? Jesus passion and death is asking you, Will you, one, find out who is suffering? And, two, will you do something to alleviate the sufferings in those around you?
Once you take these two steps, Jesus’ passion and death will no longer just be an historical event back then. His passion and death will be a living reality guiding and directing your relationships with those who are suffering, especially those in your own family.
There is a story about a six-year-old granddaughter Sarah who was visiting her grandparents. Sarah’s grandparents are a wonderful couple who have been happily married for over 40 years. They have just moved into their dream retirement home. They love each other very much, but on this particular day when Sarah was there for her visit, they were still in the process of moving and arranging furniture.They were trying to move a large chair through a narrow doorway? and sometimes when a husband and wife try to move a large chair through a narrow doorway, they (how shall I put this?), well? they get a little frustrated and they say things to each other in a different sounding tone of voice than they normally use, things like? "Watch it! Watch it! Don't put it down! Turn it to the left! I said ?the left'! Lift it higher! Hold it up! Twist it this way!"Well, as this husband and wife were moving the chair, trying to maneuver it through the door and shouting instructions to each other, six-year-old Sarah suddenly ran up to them. She held both hands up in the air to get their attention and said, "Stop! Wait a minute! We need to talk. I need to say something to you!" They stopped and she put her hands on her hips and said, "Now, you two are just going to have to learn how to get along? Now, I know your temperatures go up every now and then, but you have to learn how to deal with that and get along with each other!""Oh, Sarah," her grandmother said, (chuckling within), "We love each other dearly. We weren't really fussing." "Well, it sounded like fussing to me," Sarah responded. "Oh, no," they said, "We love each other so much."Sarah’s grandparents began to demonstrate their love by hugging and kissing and patting each other affectionately and saying, "Look, Sarah. See how much we love each other?" And Sarah said, "Now that's the way it's supposed to be!"
I find at times that I can ponder the Passion story as an historical event back then, 2000 years ago. My reaction is that of sadness, sorrow and regret for my sins. But then I recognise that this is strictly a me-and-my-Jesus reaction. A sad privitizing of my beliefs.
I realize that I must expand my consciousness from a one-on-one reaction to include all those who are suffering. I must expand my consciousness because Jesus suffered and died for everyone out of boundless love. And commanded us to love one another as he loves us just as Sarah’s grandparents loved each other. I must expand my consciousness because Jesus is still being crucified in all those who suffer.
We all suffer in ways as different as the colors in a spectrum. In general we all suffer the pangs of reality. In particular some suffer physically. Some suffer emotionally or psychologically. Some suffer in interpersonal relationships. Some suffer from unfulfilled dreams and underachievement. Some suffer spiritually anywhere from neurotic scrupulosity to a devil-may-care indifference. Some suffer in quiet desperation and some suffer in loud rebellion against God.
What is Jesus’ passion and death saying to you today here and now in your everyday life? Jesus passion and death is asking you, Will you, one, find out who is suffering? And, two, will you do something to alleviate the sufferings in those around you?
Once you take these two steps, Jesus’ passion and death will no longer just be an historical event back then. His passion and death will be a living reality guiding and directing your relationships with those who are suffering, especially those in your own family.
posted by The Ronald | 6:01 AM
0 Comments:
Post a Comment
<< Home