The Passion of Jesus Christ tells us something about what it is to go to the cross.

It tells a very human story.  It is not simply about the characters in the bible, who were there two thousand years ago, when Christ was crucified.   

It is in fact, much more than that.

The Passion of Jesus Christ is our story - and it remains present and a part of us, each and every day from one generation to the next, even for those who have not heard or understood what it’s about.  It is the looking glass from which we in the fullness of our frail humanity are reflected.

To go to the cross, is to journey alongside Jesus and the people who were there ….. it is to be one of them, and so I ask you …..

Have you ever felt abandoned or let down by a friend, or have you ever abandoned or let down someone who was counting on you.

Have you ever felt frightened and alone, despite the presence of close friends and family because somehow, they just didn’t “get it” – or have you ever been accused of not understanding someone who claimed to feel alone, frightened or alienated?     

Have you ever been betrayed by someone dear to you, whom you trusted, or have you ever been accused yourself of betrayal?

Have you ever hung your head in shame, knowing that you let someone down, that you loved or cared about – or has someone hung their head in shame for letting you down?

Have you ever been in a position where you were helpless to do anything but stand by and watch, or has someone only ever been able to do that with you?

Have you ever been accused or judged falsely by others or have you ever participated in accusing or judging someone falsely yourself?

Have you ever gotten in trouble for speaking out against the status quo because it was the right thing to do, or have you ever sided with what was popular because that was the easier route to take than the truth?   
Have you ever denied or minimized a relationship with someone because you didn’t want to be associated with them in their time of trouble, or has someone done that to you?

Have you ever failed to speak up on someone’s behalf because you might draw negative or unpopular attention on yourself? – or have you ever been the scapegoat?

Have you ever had your sincere and heartfelt motivations questioned or challenged by someone who was jealous of you or trying to draw attention away from themselves, or have you ever done that to someone?

Have you ever been made fun of another person, or mocked them, or have you ever had that done to you? 
                                         
Has someone ever felt correct and justified in hurting you either emotionally, spiritually or physically, or have you done that to someone?

Have you ever been called upon to get involved in something that you felt was none of your business to lesson the burden of another – or has anyone been called upon to do that with you?
 
Have you ever done something willingly that God asked of you, even though you knew the price would be high?

Have you ever felt abandoned by God at your darkest hour?

Palm Sunday – Passion Sunday, not unlike life sometimes, starts out joyously and ends with deep pain and tragedy.    The shouts of joy that begin with the people as Jesus makes his triumphant entry into Jerusalem ends with the silent cry of his lone voice on the cross.

Compelled to journey with Jesus through this Holy Week, we may find ourselves reflecting on our own lives – on our own journey to the cross - to that point of time when at our greatest vulnerability we too cry out to God.

This is only part one of a two part story, because of course it doesn’t end there.  The cross is not simply a place that we journey to whether we want to or not.  It is the place where the human meets the divine.  It is a place where once there – we encounter the living God.  It is a place of anticipation, of hope, of renewal, of life, of healing and of love – for now we journey - next week we arrive.   
                                                                             Amen

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