Peace Be With You. This week please pray for victims of the Iraqi Conflict, victims of terrorists and all sick and deceased members of the parish. At the CROSSROAD, Palm Sunday of the Lord’s Passion; Suffering with integrity, obedience and humility. Our prayer this week is for a Prayer at the Blessing of the Branches from The Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America.
The readings for Palm Sunday of the Lord’s Passion are from the prophet Isaiah, the letter of Saint Paul to the Philippians the Gospel and Passion according to Matthew. To hear them click on our link to the the left. Unfortunately we were unable to record the Homily today.
News
The Saint Gregory the Great Bulletin
The News from Vatican radio
The CROSSROAD Message
We come to the Crossroad and find when Jesus, humbled Himself out of love for us, He did not shield His face from buffets and spitting. He instead offered His life on the cross, always relying on His Father’s love. So we ask Adults & Teens: How will I imitate the obedience and humility of Christ during this Holy Week? And Children: What sacrifice can I make this week that will help others?
Today is the last Sunday of Lent. Remember the promises we made on Ash Wednesday-all our good intentions for prayer, fasting and alms giving. How well have we done? Has our attitude changed; have we grown in God’s goodness; are we better equipped to spread the words and works of Jesus?
As we listen to today’s Gospel on the passion and death of Jesus, let’s ask ourselves what kind of attitude did Jesus have? All of our readings today offer vivid pictures of Christ’s attitude and His refusal to become the helpless victim. His determination to complete His mission shines through for us to see and emulate. He was teaching us-right up to the last moment. He gives us an example of solidarity with the Father, of trust and hope for our own salvation.
Jesus was nourished and sustained during His ordeals by prayer and trust in His Father-and so, we too, have prayed our way to this day. Jesus could do what God asked of Him because He emptied Himself-He let go of everything. Letting go is what our personal fasting and alms giving have been about-and today we stand empty-ready to be filled and nourished by Christ’s Body and Blood.
Reflect on the Gospel passage you heard at Mass. What image stays in your mind? Think of the various people in this drama (Peter, Judas, Pilate and the others). In what way can you identify with them? What can you learn about how you react to your own suffering from the example of the suffering of Jesus? Are you able to believe that “Jesus Died for ME!”
As our journey to the Easter Resurrection unfolds this week, let us continue to reflect on our personal journey in following Jesus. Take advantage of the Sacrament of Reconciliation. Participate in the liturgies of Holy Thursday, Good Friday and Easter. Awake to the joy of all that our loving God has done for us.
The music is from Mangroovia. Located in Italy the music of the Mangroovia is exclusively instrumental. Find this and more at GarageBand.com.
Prayer at the Blessing of the Branches
The Greek Orthodox Archdiocese of America
O Lord our God, Who sits upon the Cherubim, You have reaffirmed Your power by sending Your Only-begotten Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, to save the world through His cross, burial and resurrection.
When He came into Jerusalem to suffer His voluntary passion, the people that sat in darkness and in the shadow of death took boughs of trees and branches of palms as signs of victory, thus foretelling His Resurrection. Do You, Yourself, O Master, keep and preserve us who, in imitation of them, carry palms and branches in our hands.
As we join the crowds and the children who sang Hosanna to You, may we, with hymns and spiritual songs, attain the life-giving resurrection of the third day.
Well that's A Word on the Word for Palm Sunday of the Lord’s Passion. This NetCast is released under a Creative Commons license, some rights are reserved.
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