Palm
Sunday Year A 2014
Father Adam Trambley
April 13, 2014 St.John’s Sharon
As we read Saint Matthew’s passion account today, we are
confronted with the stark reality at the core of our faith. We believe that Jesus was crucified and died,
and we believe that the way of the cross leads to resurrection and eternal
life. That wondrous yet difficult
reality challenges us. We have to decide
whether we can trust Jesus, even though he challenges us to take up our cross
and follow him. Then, if we want to
follow, we have to decide to do what is necessary to be able to follow. In our gospel we see Judas and Peter
answering these questions in different ways.
Our primary choice is whether or not we believe that Jesus
knows what he is talking about. Is he
really the Messiah, the Son of God, and king of a coming Kingdom whose citizens
live differently than the world does? Is
he really able to overcome death with resurrection, for himself and for
us? Is his path of life really important
and good for us, or are we better off following our own plans and desires? In short, do we trust what Jesus is saying to
us or not?
In the passion, we see Judas and Peter. Judas did not trust Jesus and failed. Peter did trust Jesus, and still failed. Yet the choice they made is an important
one. Judas’s unwilling to trust Jesus
resulted in two tragedies.
First, Judas betrays Jesus to the religious authorities for
thirty pieces of silver. While a number
of factors, including simple greed, probably contributed to his decision, his
major stumbling block was that he didn’t believe that Jesus was who he claimed
to be or that he would be able to do what he said he would do. If Judas truly trusted Jesus to be the bread
of life and light of the world having living water, and if he trusted that
Jesus was going to rise from the dead on the third day, there is no way he
would have betrayed Jesus to the chief priests.
The second tragedy is that after he realized what he had
done, he still could not trust Jesus. He
did not believe that Jesus could forgive sins or bring new life from
death. Once he realized how wrong he had
been, he could not see a way forward because he only trusted his own ability to
save himself. He did not believe Jesus
could save him. Instead, he throws his silver
coins at the chief priests and hangs himself.
Peter, however, does trust and believe in Jesus. He believes that Jesus is the Messiah, the Son
of God. He loves Jesus and wants to be
with him, even unto death, trusting that what Jesus wants for him is still
better, even if he dies, than anything else.
He tries his best, following Jesus to the courtyard of the High Priest. But Peter didn’t listen to Jesus about how to
resist temptation, and he ends up denying Jesus three times. He might have avoided that denial had he
stayed awake with Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane and prayed, but he fell
asleep instead. Nevertheless, his denial
does not end tragically because he still trusts Jesus in the end. He weeps bitterly after the cock crow, but he
doesn’t end his life. He still trusts in
Jesus, even if he doesn’t understand the how or why of Jesus crucifixion, or
what is really coming next.
For us, the passion offers the same two decisions.
The first is whether or not we trust Jesus. Do we believe that if we delight in his will
and walk in his ways that we will come to eternal life? Do we believe that if we deny ourselves, take
up our cross and follow him that even if we die, we will live? Do we believe that if we live our lives
according to Jesus’ plan and purpose for us, we will live a life of greater
love, joy, peace, and freedom? Or would
we rather take our chances with our own agendas, desires, and
self-seeking? Our first decision is to
trust Jesus or not. When faced with the
stark reality of Jesus passion and death, do we still want to follow him?
Hopefully we do, which is why we are here this morning. That brings us to the second decision: are we
willing to do the work to be able to follow Jesus, even in life’s difficult
moments. Jesus gives us instructions on
how to persevere and live according to his commands in those difficult
times. He tells Peter, James, and John in
the Garden of Gethsemane to stay awake and pray that they do not fall into
temptation as they face the upcoming doubts, struggles and difficulties. That same advice is good for us, especially
in those difficult times when our temptations are strongest and the
consequences of falling into them most dire.
Jesus first says, “Stay awake,” which means stay awake with
him while he prays. This command is
actually very good news. Just like when Jesus
takes Peter, James and John apart to a deserted place while he prays, when we
are in distress, he will take us apart and pray for us. Most of us have probably felt so overwhelmed
sometimes that we don’t feel like we can pray effectively. We don’t have to. Jesus prays for us, on our behalf. He is our great high priest. God hears him, and his prayers will be
answered, even if the answer is difficult for us in the short-term, like it was
difficult for Jesus when he prayed two thousand years ago. We just need to stay awake while Jesus prays.
More than even not sleeping, we are supposed to be present in mind and heart to
Jesus. Staying awake means not just
turning on the TV or grabbing more wine or whatever it is that deadens us so
that we don’t have to be present either to the situation we are in or to Jesus’
prayers to transform it. To help stay awake
some people use prayer beads, or read the Bible, or say memorized prayers. Certainly distractions happen in prayer, but
making the decision to stop and be present as Jesus prays for us is essential,
and not giving ourselves that time in prayer means we are falling asleep.
Jesus second instruction is to pray not to fall into
temptation, because when crises occur in our lives, we are always in danger of
letting our own guard down like Peter did in the High Priest’s courtyard. We want to avoid the self-destructive
behaviors that can accompany difficult moments.
We also want to avoid hurting other people because we are in pain and
just want to lash out at somebody. We
pray not to be led into temptation so that as Jesus prays for healing and grace
we don’t allow ourselves to become conduits for further pain and
suffering. This prayer is so important
that Jesus gives it to us as part of the Lord’s Prayer: “lead us not into
temptation, but deliver us from evil.”
Staying awake so Jesus can pray for us and praying not to be
led into temptation are strategies we can use during any difficult time to
continue to follow Jesus. When we find
ourselves in times of great sickness, facing the death of loved ones, job loss
or family disasters, or just afraid and overwhelmed by life’s trials, setting
aside time just to sit and let Jesus pray for us while we ask to avoid being
put to the test will help us live the life we want to live.
Of course if, like Peter, we just fall spiritually asleep
instead, Jesus still loves us. He will still reach out to us. We will have caused more pain to ourselves
and others, and have more wreckage to clean up.
But whatever we do, God can still save.
Judas didn’t know that, but Peter did and we do, too. If we decide to trust Jesus, then eventually
his love will bring us to him.
So in this Holy Week, recommit yourself to trusting Jesus in
all things. Then do the work of staying
awake and praying not to be led into temptation, so that you are able to live
out your life trusting him and following him, even when life seems as difficult
as his cross.
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