Year A
Discover the deeper meaning and connections found in this week's readings, through these great commentaries written by our priests.
Explore this week's readings and hear what God is saying to us through His Word.
Find out more about how we can mark this special day in our liturgy.
See our music recommendations for the liturgy.
All four Gospels tell of the life of Christ differently. But in telling the story of the Passion they are virtually identical.
The Passion story is the first item in the story-telling tradition of early Church before the written narrative. Remember that story is a literature genre that conveys truth.
The Story of the Cross is the biggest problem for early Christians - "Jews demand signs and Greeks desire wisdom; for Jews a stumbling block and foolishness to Greeks" (1 Cor.1:22-23)
There is a strong emphasis upon discipleship, the disciples are a privileged group; constant companions, with authority to cast out demons and to preach.
But they are not models - many are failures, they are jealous, struggle to understand or wanted to call down fire and brimstone on those who did not agree. Aren’t they a mirror to ourselves? Have we not experienced brokenness and failure?
The Passion story highlights these failures. One betrays, three go to sleep, one denies and all flee. Only one returned to be by the cross, a stranger attended to Christ's burial and it was the loyal band of women who remained closest and were the eventual messengers to the Apostles that Christ had risen.
In conclusion, the Passion story reveals the disciples for what they were, and it contains a powerful message on the essence of discipleship. Hopefully, the liturgical services of this coming week may help us to evaluate our discipleship - betrayal, denial, asleep, hiding, or on the run? The faithful could be encouraged to identify and walk with a figure from the Passion narrative. The Passion is a sacred drama, but we are participants not onlookers.
The Roman Missal provides extensive liturgical directions for this day, imbedded in the texts for the Mass(es). It is always useful to re-read them in good time as memories, and habit, can let our liturgical practice “drift”. Also, we move quickly from “Hosanna” to “Crucify”. How does that inform our liturgy?
The practicalities are significantly different from a “normal” Sunday and require careful planning. These include:
Do you have questions about the liturgy and how we are called to participate in it? Explore how the Church councils, saints, and popes have answered this key question and many more.
Every movement of the Mass is rich in meaning but we can become over-familiar with it. Rediscover the Mass and explore how it relates to the Exodus story, where many of its rituals come from, and how it makes Jesus present to us today.
