Passionate love

Reflections and Readings for Palm Sunday, 9th April 2006, Isaiah 50:4-9,Psalm 118, Philippians 2:5-11,Mark 11:1-11

I have a sort of childhood resentment to Palm Sunday being called "Passion" Sunday
Traditionally (meaning when I was young) this referred to last Sunday [the 5th in Lent]
when the mood in Lent changed from penitence and discipline
towards the Cross and Passion.
However I need to let that slide!!
There is much in my life at this time
that reveals the insight I have consistentlyhad about Passiontide
and that is
That Passion is about love and that passion is abotu suffering
This is not particularly profound.
though not immediately obvious
though the truth is
thgat if I want to love better
then I need to be able to embrace suffering.
There will not be love without suffering.
As we look at the cross at the truest example of what love might mean
nothing could be more obvious
Love means suffering.
Let us not make the mistake
that in order to love more
then we need to engender suffering.
There is enough suffering already!!

But we do need
to not avoid the reality that true relationships
will not just be plain sailing.
They will have their fair share of suffering.
Most of us implicitly understand that.
Christ suffers in our humanity
we grown in God's humility.

There is much about this that is msyterious.
but let us not try to create a love that is pain-free
but rather to recognise that suffering is its own opportrunity
to garner God's love.