Passion Sunday 2010

It is not easy to maintain our inner peace when we feel unfairly treated. In face of injustice, we would be more resentful when there is nothing we can do. Perhaps Jesus' attitude during the Holy Week can help us better deal with such situations. The most solemn Holy Week began today with the blessing of the palm branches and procession around the church building. Today, we read of the Passion of Jesus according to Luke. The gospel according to St. Luke is a prayerful gospel. It was written with the aim of helping readers contemplate the life of Jesus, seeing how it is relevant to our present day situations. I would say his Passion narrative is the most beautifully written among the 4 canonical gospels.

Fr. Martin Ip pointed out the characteristics of the Passion narrative of Luke to us. While the Jesus depicted in the Passion narratives of the other gospels was judgmental and accusative, the Jesus in Luke maintained his peace throughout. Not only did Jesus not resist arrest, but he also healed the High Priest servant whose right ear Peter had cut off (Luke 22:51). After Peter had denied Jesus three times in front of the others, only the Jesus in Luke turned and looked at him, to melt down his defense (Luke 22:61). Of course, we have one of the most famous prayer of Jesus on the cross.
Father, forgive them; for they know not what they do (Luke 23:34b)
Very often, we know not what we do. We believe that we are right and others are wrong. We feel justified in punishing them, even hurting them. The infamous Holy Inquisition was an example. But who else are not?

Fr. Martin quoted an example from the perspective of a "victim". One widow shared the following experience with him and the prayer group he was leading. Her husband had a few close friends. But after his death, not one of them turned up in his funeral. The widow was very resentful about this. One day, she received a call from the wife of one of these close friends. He was dead. The widow could no longer hold her resentment and blasted over the phone. "When my husband died, where was your husband? Now that your man is dead, how dare you have the cheek to tell me so!" From the receiving end of the line came a calm voice. "Before your husband died, he borrowed money from his close friends. We did not attend your husband's funeral because we did not want to appear to come to collect debts from you when you were desperate." The widow was dumbfounded. Her resentment was totally unwarranted.
Jesus was not resentful. He set us an example not to be resentful in face of injustice.

Paul Siu is one of the deacon candidates. He accidentally tore his ligament and suffered a lot. Yet, he shared with me personally that it was a blessing in disguise. God must have a reason to allow things to happen. He humbly confessed that though he did not understand, he thanked God for this accident. In his convalescence, he appreciated Ignatius' Spiritual Exercise more. God blesses Paul. His spirituality is deep indeed.

Dear Lord, I am a resentful man. My defences are strong and I cannot hold my peace. Turn to look at me to melt away my defences. Amen.