Sunday Gospel Reflection
"Blessed is the king who comes in the name of the Lord"

Introduction:

Liberation
When was the last time you truly felt free? What did you do to deserve this feeling?

We who live Western democracies take political freedom for granted. We have these God-given rights to enjoy. Ensuring these rights, not enslaving the populace, defines the purpose of government.

Yet, we are creatures of enslavement. Are we really masters of our time, our livelihoods, or our relationships? Or, do they rule our lives? Sometimes it is hard to tell.

The most intimate way we know we are controlled is through our moral decisions. How many times have we regretted past decisions? How many times have our choices come back to haunt us? Even if we might not feel enslaved, we only need to look to others who are slaves to their "sin" and realize how close we were to making those choices. Take the results of immoral choices to their logical conclusion, and they lead to death. Death of spirit. Death of relationships. Death of life itself.

For Christians, all that changed on the cross. As Christ passed from life to death, we passed from death to life. To realize the importance and the freedom of the cross, let us walk that journey with Jesus, one more time.

First Reading
Isaiah 50:4-7
4 The Lord GOD has given me the tongue of those who are taught, that I may know how to sustain with a word him that is weary.  Morning by morning he wakens, he wakens my ear to hear as those who are taught.
5 The Lord GOD has opened my ear, and I was not rebellious, I turned not backward.
6 I gave my back to the smiters, and my cheeks to those who pulled out the beard; I hid not my face from shame and spitting.
7 For the Lord GOD helps me; therefore I have not been confounded; therefore I have set my face like a flint, and I know that I shall not be put to sham

Second Reading
Philippians 2:6-11
...6 who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped,
7 but emptied himself, taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men.
8 And being found in human form he humbled himself and became obedient unto death, even death on a cross.
9 Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name which is above every name,
10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
11 and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father

Gospel Reading
Mark 14:1-15:47

Bible Study/Meditation

Today we not only celebrate our redemption, we begin a week-long celebration of Jesus' love. All week, we will commemorate the reasons why he died for us. This is not a week for sorrow, but for gratitude, joy, and hope. St. Mark tells us that as Jesus breathed his last, the veil in the temple was torn in two, from top to bottom (Mark 15:37-38). This veil was a thick curtain that separated the people from the holiest and most sacred portion of the temple (Exodus 25:8). Only the high priest had access to this holy place, and even he could enter it only once a year to make atonement for the sins of the people (Hebrews 9:7). So, by tearing this veil, God was making a powerful statement: There was no longer any separation between him and his people.

Just as the veil in the temple separated the people from the presence and holiness of God, so did a thick veil of guilt and sin hang between us and our Creator. But when Jesus died, this veil was also torn from top (heaven) to bottom (earth). The way to heaven was opened, and God's life and love were free to flow to every one of us. Now, finally, we all can hear his voice and experience his presence personally.

This sounds so wonderful, and yet each of us has known the feeling of separation or distance from God. Veils can still shroud our lives, blocking our access to the Father's throne. Brothers and sisters, Jesus wants to tear apart these veils during this Holy Week. He wants to remove the obstacles that still exist between us and his heavenly Father. We have only to come to him and ask. The whole reason Jesus died was so that we could gaze on his glory and be filled with his love. Let us not mourn this week, but rather open our hearts to Jesus. Let us not be sad, but hopeful. Our God can remove every veil that keeps us from being transformed into his image (2 Corinthians 3:18).

Reflections:

· Please re-read the phrase(s)/sentence(s) that move(s)/touche(s) you and what inner message of the heart is the Spirit whispering to you ?

.What is the most "beautiful thing" you could do to express your love for the Lord?

. How can we bring Christ to people who feel hopeless and abandoned?

. With which one person could you best relate, or with whom would you identify yourself? Why

. What examples of good intentions gone awry do you see in this passage? What were the reasons they were not kept?

. Mark's Passion account is called the greatest instruction on discipleship. Why?

Prayer

Jesus, words fail me when I look at your cross. All I can do is praise you for your love and ask you to come and rend the veils in my life. Lord, I want to see your glory and be made more like you