Pope: During Holy Week, ask which Gospel character you resemble

cns ^ | April 14, 2014 | Cindy Wooden

[NYer]

VATICAN CITY (CNS) -- Preceded by young people and clergy waving tall palm branches, Pope Francis began his Holy Week liturgies by encouraging people to ask themselves which personality in the Gospel accounts of Jesus' passion, death and resurrection they resemble most.

"Where is my heart? Which of these people do I resemble most?" Pope Francis asked April 13 as he celebrated the Palm Sunday Mass of the Lord's Passion.

Pope Francis holds palms at the start of Palm Sunday Mass in St. Peter's Square at the Vatican April 13. (CNS/Paul Haring)

Joined by thousands of young people for the local celebration of World Youth Day, the pope set aside his prepared homily and instead urged people to adopt an exercise recommended by St. Ignatius of Loyola, founder of the Jesuits: imagining themselves as one of the characters in the Gospel story.

Throughout the Holy Week liturgies -- Palm Sunday, Holy Thursday, Good Friday, the Easter vigil and Easter morning Mass -- "it would do us good to ask one question: Who am I? Who am I before my Lord?" the pope said.

"Am I able to express my joy, to praise him?" the pope asked. "Or do I keep my distance? Who am I before Jesus who is suffering?"

Judas betrayed Jesus for 30 pieces of silver. "Am I like Judas?" the pope asked. "Am I a traitor?"

"The disciples didn't understand anything and they fell asleep while the Lord suffered," he said. "Is my life one of sleeping?"

When Jesus was about to be arrested, one of the disciples cut off the ear of the high priest's servant; "am I like that disciple who wanted to resolve everything with the sword?" the pope asked.

"Am I like those courageous women and like Jesus' mom, who were there suffering in silence?" he asked.

Pope Francis did not offer explanations but asked people to let "these questions accompany us throughout the week."

Prisoners from a jail in Sanremo, Italy, sent Pope Francis a new pastoral staff, which he used during the Mass. Carved out of olive wood, it featured a simple cross on top and elements from Pope Francis' coat of arms: the official seal of the Society of Jesus, an eight-pointed star symbolizing Mary and the spikenard flower, a symbol of St. Joseph.

At the end of Mass, turning his attention to the young people, Pope Francis presided over the transfer of the World Youth Day cross from young representatives of the Archdiocese of Rio de Janeiro, site of World Youth Day 2013, to youths from the Archdiocese of Krakow, Poland, where the next international gathering with the pope will be held July 25-Aug. 1, 2016.

The hand-off of the cross marked the 30th anniversary of Pope John Paul II's entrusting it to Catholic youths, asking them to "carry it throughout the world as a sign of Christ's love for humanity," Pope Francis said. Noting that he would declare Pope John Paul a saint April 27, the pope repeated an announcement made in February that St. John Paul, who began the World Youth Day celebrations, would become the gatherings' "great patron."

After the Mass and the recitation of the Angelus, the pope waded into the crowd, blessing many of the young people and posing for photographs with some of them.

[NYer]

Pope Francis celebrates Palm Sunday - Video

[NYer]

Ping!

[Salvation]

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[vladimir998]

Well, we all most resemble Barabbas. After all Jesus died in OUR place when He died in Barabbas’ place. This is all the more obviously true when you realize Barabbas is a last name meaning “Son of the father” and that Barabbas’ first name a - according to early Egyptian Mss. - was Jesus.

Pilate, therefore, gave the crowd a choice between Jesus, Son of the Father and Jesus Son-of-the-father. One was the perfect God-man, free of all sin. The other was a robber and a murderer.

We all resemble Barabbas.

[melsec]

Half the time I feel like the guy who runs away naked when challenged in the Garden (Mark’s Gospel).

[Salvation]

Characters of the Passion:
The welcoming crowd
St. Peter
Judas Iscariot
Pontius Pilate
Claudia, Pilate’s wife
Herod
Barabbas
The two thieves
Simon of Cyrene
Jesus Christ
The Pharisees
The condemning crowd
Mary, the Mother of Christ
Mary Magdalene
Mary Cleopas
St. John

[Salvation]

John Mark

[Joe 6-pack]

As per the characters in the Gospels, God has his chosen role for each of us, even (especially, perhaps) the meek and humble. The trick is to recognize that role, embrace it, and fulfill it to the very best of our abilities...

The Donkey
~By G. K. Chesterton

When fishes flew and forests walked
And figs grew upon thorn,
Some moment when the moon was blood
Then surely I was born.

With monstrous head and sickening cry
And ears like errant wings,
The devil’s walking parody
On all four-footed things.

The tattered outlaw of the earth,
Of ancient crooked will;
Starve, scourge, deride me: I am dumb,
I keep my secret still.

Fools! For I also had my hour;
One far fierce hour and sweet:
There was a shout about my ears,
And palms before my feet.

[NYer]

Half the time I feel like the guy who runs away naked when challenged in the Garden (Mark’s Gospel).

I read that gospel this morning. Considering how much was not written down in the gospels, I wondered about this individual and why Mark felt compelled to include him in his. Any thoughts?

[NYer]

Veronica is missing from that list.

[miele man]

Is this article accurately reporting his entire homily or is there a written text on the ‘net somewhere? I would like to read it. Thanks.

[NYer]

Nice interpretation from G. K. Chesterton. The question, though, is aimed at you ... which character do you resemble?

[Salvation]

I knew I forgot someone.

[Joe 6-pack]

My reason for posting Chesterton...I should aspire to be that Donkey, and fulfill to the very best of my ability whatever role(s) God has given me, regardless of how humble or insignificant I, and the world perceive them to be.

[Salvation]

Palm Sunday Passion according to Matthew

http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-religion/3143789/posts

Good Friday Passion according to John

http://usccb.org/bible/readings/041814.cfm

[NYer]

Is this article accurately reporting his entire homily or is there a written text on the ‘net somewhere? I would like to read it. Thanks.

FULL TEXT

[miele man]

Thank you. I am surprised at the brevity of this. I would like to see a fuller, more developed homily though.

[miele man]

Thank you for these readings. Blessings to you and yours.

[gura]

Thomas Paine