A homily for Passion Sunday, 21st March 2021

Today, the 5th Sunday of Lent marks the beginning of Passiontide. We are invited year by year to enter into the events of the last week of Jesus’ life in Jerusalem. My painting looking over Jerusalem, during my visit to the students supported by the John Aves charity, reminds us that

in normal times we might enter Jerusalem on Palm Sunday, spend time in the garden of Gethsemane with Jesus on Maundy Thursday night, and be with the cross during the Good Friday liturgy.

On this Sunday we can take in the whole that is ahead across the next two weeks, and I find it helpful to think how the Eastern Orthodox Christians think about how they hold Passiontide within the whole story. Christ destroyed the power of death in his suffering and death on the cross and by his resurrection. Finally his ascension takes him to be with his heavenly Father, where he now lives and reigns.

Jesus had frequently gone up to Jerusalem on the Day of Atonement when a lamb was killed and its blood smeared in the temple. It was a way of renewing the connection with God; we take this further as we enter into the mystery of the crucifixion and resurrection. At the end of our earthly life we become “partakers of the Divine nature”. Those we have known, particularly those whose life has ended in these last months, are now with God. Our souls merge with God, and God’s creation, for eternity.

May we find hope and peace as we journey through these days of Passiontide, and enter with Jesus into his life, death and resurrection.

Fr Peter