Rector’s Message (Sunday, March 24, 2024)

How would you like to live the final week of your life on earth? Would you be going to the beach, to lay on the sand and feel the flow of the sea and inhale the sea breeze? Or you may choose to go to a place of flowers, trees, plants and colorful leaves and blossom in a garden like Hope Gardens or visit an historical site, such as Lovers Leap, Blue Lagoon or maybe to sit quietly to see how you can complete your wish list and write down happy memories and memorable occasions with family, relatives, friends and people who have impacted your life. Jesus did no such thing. Instead, in His final days He took a lot of risks, which placed His life in peril and great danger. These final days of Jesus are called by the community of faith; the Church, Passion Week. It begins on Palm Sunday and culminates with the Easter Triduum which is the Good Friday Commemoration, the Easter Vigil and the Celebration of the Christian Passover, the Pascal Mystery of Easter. Jesus risked His life when He dared to teach in the temple and challenged the status quo. He also risked the loss of friends in the Garden of Gethsemane and risked temptation in the same Garden. He risked incurring the consequences of the righteous indignation of the religious leaders, as He cleansed the Temple by overthrowing those who participated in commercial activities saying “My house shall be called a house of prayer but you are making it a den of thieves.” (Mt 21:13) Jesus was willing to face any risk of danger to His own life, to rescue us from sin and its consequences, to give us the freedom to live in a right relationship of self-giving love to God the Father and humanity.

Despite the increasing surveillance by the chief priest, scribes and their agents to detect something in Hs teaching that would cause His arrest, Jesus persisted in taking great risk as He entered Jerusalem on a donkey with the people shouting “Hosanna!” Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord!” (Mk11:9b). The Hosanna uttered by the people means, “Save us.” A people shackled by the dictates of Imperial Leaders, who used the strategy of social stratification, ‘divide and rule’ to control the people and keep power, in order to advance their financial and social interest. These could not restrain the people as they shouted “Hosanna!”. God acted through the suffering servant who demonstrated; humility, integrity of character and self-sacrifice to save and liberate. This action of Jesus attracted the support of the people. Discipleship demands the risk to be obedient, to face suffering and abuse for righteousness sake, with the promise of vindication. (Mt.5:10) During this Holy Week we are invited to Follow Jesus, as we deny self and walk with Him to Calvary’s Golgotha. .

We extend a warm welcome to all our visitors and friends. May God continue to bless you all.

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