Palm-Passion
Sunday—B2009
Mark 14:1-15:47
Deacon Lee Hunt (St. Monica)
When I spent a month in Peru, I was
lucky to visit a teenage girlÕs orphanage each week and do a liturgy of the
word service for them. Afterwards, I would lead scripture study based on the
dayÕs gospel reading. I would tell them that the reading wasnÕt just about
people who lived 2,000 years ago, but that they were in the gospel reading. It
was not until the last day I was leaving to come back home that they believed
that they were in the gospel story. This was one of the highlights of my
missionary trip!
If we hear today's Passion account
as an incident that happened 2,000 years ago, we are missing an important part
of the story; missing the impact and relevance that it has for us today. Mark
tells us that there was conspiracy that sent Jesus to his cross and death.
Where were the voices speaking for
Christ's innocence? Why didn't he have adequate legal representation? With
proper defense, would he have gotten off with a suspended sentence or a slap on
the wrist?
That's not the way the story
unfolded, is it? Jesus was not a person of means; he had no influential friends
to testify on his behalf, no high-priced lawyers to get him off.
See any parallels between Jesus'
situation this Holy Week and modern times? We in the United States have much to
reflect on as we hear the accounts that took place 2,000 years ago outside the
walls of Jerusalem. We also live in a violent world and a violent nation where
life is precarious. Who will standup for the innocent of our time?
New life can end prematurely with
abortion. Who represents a baby who hasnÕt yet left the protection of its
motherÕs womb? Who helps a young child that is beaten to death by a parent or a
single motherÕs boy friend?
In our country there are people on
death row who did the crime they were accused of; but some did
not commit the crime. Most of these were poor, had inadequate defense and
couldn't afford appeals or DNA tests that might have proved their innocence.
Who among us stand with the innocent who might be killed in the name of the
state?
Just as I asked the orphans
in Peru, are you in the gospel
reading today? People are still persecuted and die with no one to stand up for
them. What is your response to preventing this? Will you remain quiet and allow
it to continue? If you decide to stand for life, you must act?
The violence of JesusÕ death
was not the end. It was shortly followed by his resurrection and renewed life
on Easter. How will you help someone escape premature death so that they can
lead a full life? Will you represent the innocent? If not, who will?
Marcos 14:1-15:47
Di‡cono Lee Hunt (Sta. Monica)
Representar a Los Inocentes
Cuando yo pasŽ un mes en
el Perœ, tuve la buena suerte de visitar cada semana un orfanato para ni–as y
celebrar la palabra de Dios con ellas. DespuŽs estudi‡bamos el evangelio de ese
d’a. Yo les dec’a que la lectura no era s—lo acerca de la gente que vivi— hace
dos mil a–os, sino que se refer’a a ellas tambien. Ellas no me creyeron al
principio, pero s’ lo hicieron el d’a que yo me volv’a a los
Estados Unidos. ƒste fue
uno de los momentos mas importantes en este viaje de misionero.
Si escuchamos el relato de la Pasi—n del Se–or s—lo como algo que ocurri— hace dos mil
a–os, omitimos una parte importante del cuento; omitimos el impacto y el
prop—sito que tiene para nosotros
hoy en d’a. San Marcos nos dice que hab’a una conspiraci—n que envi— a Jesœs a
su cruz y su muerte.
ÀD—nde estaban las voces que declaraban la inocencia de
Jesœs? ÀPor quŽ no ten’a Jesœs representaci—n legal y adecuada? Con una buena
defensa, Àhabr’a sido salvado o habr’a recibido una condena condicional o un
tir—n de orejas?
As’ no es c—mo se
desarroll— el cuento, Àno? Jesœs no era una persona rica, no ten’a amigos
poderosos para declarar en su favor, no ten’a abogados caros para liberarlo.
ÀVe usted conecciones entre la situaci—n de Jesœs y
nuestras vidas? Nosotros, en los Estados Unidos, tenemos mucho para reflexionar
al escuchar lo que ocurri— en JerusalŽn hace dos mil a–os. Vivimos en un mundo
violento y en una naci—n violenta donde la vida es insegura. ÀQuiŽn va a
defender a los inocentes de nuestra Žpoca?
Una vida que apenas empieza puede terminarse bruscamente
con el aborto. ÀQuiŽn representa al ni–o que aœn est‡ en la matriz de su madre?
ÀQuiŽn ayuda a un ni–o golpeado hasta la muerte por un padre o por el novio de
una madre soltera?
En nuestra naci—n hay personas en la c‡rcel que est‡n
condenados a muerte que cometieron el crimen por el cual son acusados; pero hay
otros que son inocentes. Estas
personas, la mayor parte, son pobres, y puede ser que tuvieron una mala defensa
o no pudieron darse el lujo del
costo de una apelaci—n. Entre
nosotros, ÀquiŽn se pone de pie con los inocentes que pueden ser ejecutados en
el nombre del estado?
As’ como les preguntŽ a las huŽrfanas en el Perœ, estas tœ en la
lectura del evangelio de hoy? Hay personas que todav’a son acosadas y mueren
sin nadie que las defienda. ÀC—mo puedes prevenir esto? ÀVas a quedarte callado
y permitir que siga? Si decides defender la vida, debes hacer algo.
La muerte violenta de Jesœs no fue el fin. El resucit— el
Domingo de Pascua ÀC—mo puedes tœ ayudar a los inocentes?