Passion Sunday: We Crucify Him Updated

Followed by Glory ...
April 1, 2012

http://followedbyglory.blogspot.com/2012/04/passion-sunday-we-crucify-him.html

I always get choked up during the Passion narrative. It always makes me so sad when we yell out "crucify him!"

I was thinking about how the great religious leaders of the day completely missed it when Jesus was smack in their midst. I cannot help but think about what our religious leaders are missing right in front of them.I think the Passion should be a huge warning to Christians, especially the devout and pious ones, what happens when we are so sure we understand God. When we treat theology as if it is a big math problem and we can give answers in our sleep about right conduct. If we are devout and practicing Catholics, we should walk away from the Passion narrative in complete humility.

Think about it. A hooker, a nobody, takes an EXTREMELY expensive bottle of perfume and dumps it on Jesus. All the proper folks are completely and properly scandalized by such behavior. This hooker then takes her hair and she debases herself at Jesus' feet. Jesus defends her.

Today, in our Church in America and abroad, our Hierarchy is attacking those who survived being brutalized and raped by God's priests and representatives. In PA and MO Church lawyers, paid for by faithful Catholics who continue to tithe to their Churches, are attacking volunteer organizations of survivors of those abused by priests. SNAP (Survivors Networks of Those Abused by Priests) has been subpoenaed as lawyers defending the Church seek out any and all means of destroying the case against the Church.

Can we imagine if instead of attacking YET AGAIN those who have been so deeply wounded by the Hierarchy if the Church, like the hooker, were to buy an expensive bottle of perfume, recognize who it is smack in front of them and anoint the children's feet? Can you imagine, if the Hierarchy AND lay Catholics-who for some reason continue to support their dysfunctional church with donations--were to instead begin honoring the wounded, crucified Jesus smack in front of them? But no, the Church continues like the religious leaders of Jesus' time to reject Him. And crucify Him yet again.

Like I said, we should walk away from the Passion narrative wondering what we have to do to gain eternal life. And pray for the conversion of our religious leaders' souls.