Asleep? (3 Times): (Palm Sunday 2018-03-25)

SUNDAY 25 March 2018, Palm Sunday

•• Isaiah 50:4-7  •• Psalm 22  •• Philippians 2:6-11 •• + Mark 14:1-15:47 ••

Title:  “Asleep? 3 Times. Palm Sunday”

[__01__]   It is a paradox that on the this most sacred and stressful night of their lives, the disciples of Jesus had no trouble falling asleep.

            Three times, they fell asleep. Meanwhile, Judas Iscariot is up at all hours. Jesus himself is restless physically and spiritually.

[__02_]      This leads to 3 responses, 3 lessons from Jesus as our Lord and Savior.

          The disciples arrived at Gethsemane, a garden away from the downtown hustle and bustle and away from the hustler, Judas Iscariot. They were safe there, but Jesus was anxiously praying, ”Father … all things are possible … remove this cup from me, but not what I will but what thou wilt.” (Mark 14:36)

          Meanwhile, they were sleeping. And, Jesus discovers this 3 times, with varying responses …

          There is [►TELLING (yelling?)]; there is [►TOLERATING]; there is [►TURNING BACK …].

[__03_]     1^st .  [►TELLING]  Jesus told them to wake up, though he was not shocked because he knew and stated  “the spirit is willing but the flesh is weak.” (Mark 14:35)

          Do you/I fall asleep at times, under the weight of, say:

          Disappointment.  For example, we had an intention to do something or someone else promised to do something, but the flesh or the reality was weak or way off-target.

          We can be hurt or discouraged by disappointing results. In these instance, we may fall asleep with indifference. Jesus sounds the alarm, inviting us to stay with him.

 [__04__]   The disciples fall asleep a second time. This time, Jesus finds them, leaves them there. They know not what to say.

          This is [►TOLERATING]

          This is mysterious. He does not want them to sleep, but lets them sleep. He tolerates them. This 2^nd time, we read the disciples knew not what to say to Jesus. We may not know what to say and feel caught between night and day.

          God gives us free will and accepts our free choices. Yes, we believe that we can change and be converted but…only if we freely cooperate.

          We may also find, at times, that we cannot correct – but only tolerate – the injustice or unfairness we encounter.

          We may encounter this in the harm another person can inflict, we may wonder why evil is possible.

          St. Thomas Aquinas observed that God does not enforce his law by preventing evil, but rather “enforces” it by allowing us to be raised up to something greater even after sin, to draw something good. (CCC 412, STh. III, 1,3 ad 3, cf. Romans 5:20)

          There is always something greater in God’s toleration / acceptance of our free will.  God also accepts our repentance, offering us mercy.

[__05__]   On this journey, Jesus does not abandon his disciples nor does he abandon you or me.

          The 3^rd time he finds them asleep, he urges [►TURNING BACK]. He turns back to them, he does not give up on them.

          In other words, let’s get going.  While recognizing that all of their lives are in danger, Jesus invites his disciples to walk the Stations of the Cross with him.  The Good News is that the disciples, while sleeping, were still in his presence, still connected.

          Yes, the first time, they missed the alarm, slept in. He told them, forcefully to wake up.

          The second time, their waywardness and indifference were not corrected. There was [►TOLERATION]

          But after all of our falls – one, two, three or more – he invites us not simply by [►TELLING] not simply by [►TOLERATING] that everything we do is OK, but by urging us to walk with him, with [►TURNING BACK ..], to us, he does not give up on us, but tells you and me  “to rise, let us be going [on our way]”. (Mark 14:42)  [__fin__]