Holy Week Message

Summary of a Fr. Gerry Creedon homily from March 20, 2005

"Behold your king comes to you, meek and riding on a donkey." Matt. 21

THIS WEEK REMEMBERS the crucifixion and resurrection of Jesus. Calvary raises the question "Why?"

We need to reject all conscious and unconscious anti Semitic explanations that have rained so much blood over the centuries and reduced so many millions to ashes.

Another framework that leads to misinterpretation is the doctrine of atonement. God was angered by the sin of humanity and could only be placated by the blood of his own son. Versions of this view place too heavy an emphasis on sin and guilt and turn God into a vengeful father far removed from the compassion offered in Jesus' story of the prodigal son. St. Paul offers a more helpful account.

"Christ Jesus, though he was in the form of God, did not regard equality with God something to be grasped. Rather, he emptied himself, taking the form of a servant, coming in human likeness, and found human in appearance, he humbled himself, becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. Because of this, God greatly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every other name." Phil 2.

A key to this perspective is offered in the entrance to Jerusalem. Caesar entered Rome as a conquering hero with horses, plumes and chariots. Jesus entered his city, Jerusalem, on a donkey's back. The burro is the transport of the campesino, the subsistence farmer. He identified himself in his message, in his ministry and in his dying with the poor of the earth. The Easter mystery is an outpouring of suffering love.

This Holy Thursday we join the Latin American Church in remembering not only the death of Jesus but the also the assassination of Archbishop Oscar Romero of El Salvador. He had imitated the Master in his preferential option for the poor and in his solidarity with their search for justice, human rights and dignity. He was killed as he celebrated the Mass, the reenactment of the Last Supper. A few days before his death he proclaimed, "You can kill me but my spirit will rise again in the Salvadoran people."

May the Spirit of the Risen Lord find a home with all of us. May we glory in his resurrection by entering with Romero into the Passover mystery of dying to self that we might live for him and for others.