by Rev. Herbert Nichols

I would dare say that the Scriptures are never so vivid as they are during Holy Week--so familiar that they need explanation--but the Scriptures of each Sunday, everyday in fact can become vivid, like HDTV or a 50" screen if we allow ourselves the time and the effort to pray through them.

Praying with Scripture is an important way to communicate with God. Over the last six weeks we have looked at how the Scripture passages applied to a specific theme; namely, Healing the Body of Christ in a time or crisis, shame, and pain. Hopefully many fruitful insights and balms were shared.

We discussed the unfruitful fig tree, which nearly met an abrupt and premature ending, but was spared for another chance. Did it blush with embarrassment? Can a tree blush? Legend tells us that the tree on which our Savior was crucified was a dogwood tree. Today it hardly looks tall or strong but twisted; its blossoms blush pink like stains of blood.

Can you remember any time when you were embarrassed? Perhaps a spilled drink on a brand new carpet or piece of furniture, a forgotten anniversary or birthday, or a spoken word you wished had not gone through your lips. If only like the fig, you had another chance to make things right.

Prepared by the word of God through prayer and reflection, we find that the life and ministry of Jesus is filled with embarrassing situations. Jesus had an uncanny ability to be comfortable with those who had different expectations of Him; yet be able to deliver His point.

In last week’s gospel it was the self-righteous embarrassed elders who dropped their accusations and their stones, when recognizing their own sinfulness, but nevertheless, chose to run away from Him loosing an opportunity to witness mercy at its fullest.

Jesus ministry was most recognized and accepted by the poor, the powerless, the disenfranchised, and the nobodies of the world, who experience daily the rejection, the icy stares of souls with out love. His mission, which led to his crucifixion, was to bring to these nobodies the reassurance that in God’s eyes we are in deed somebody, we are His children, His beloved.

Some would receive His message with great enthusiasm and zeal. Crowds would welcome Him as king crying: "Hosanna in the highest." But this king assumed his humble position. He did not enter on a great white steed, the symbol of victory and power. He rode in on a borrowed unbroken colt, the foal of a donkey. This king was a laughing stock and the fickle crowds turned against Him. "Crucify Him they hollered over and over."

They say that an ass is a stubborn and fickle animal; but is it any more stubborn and fickle than the human animal?

In the accounts of the Last Supper, which we read in the Liturgies of Tues, Wed, and Thurs, Jesus literally enacts out the Eucharist. He girds Himself with a towel and washes the feet of His apostles, Peter, reluctantly and embarrassed.

Jesus ask to do what He Himself is doing at that moment; preparing to give his life for others, for you and for me. He asks, no He commands us to, join Him in the work of the world’s salvation.

Pope John Paul tells us that we cannot overstress the significance of the Eucharist and the assembly. In the Eucharist we are formed into the Body of Christ by entering into the death of Christ. As members of the Body of Christ, when any one of us is suffering anywhere, each suffers. When one member turns from God, each member aches. But even in our brokenness, Christ binds us together as His Body.

The Presence in the Eucharist, the Body and Blood that we receive nourishes and connects us firmly with the community, in communion with, we become what we eat, the Body of Christ.

A second century writer, St. Irenaeus, said that "our thinking is attuned to the Eucharist and the Eucharist in turn confirms our way of thinking."

Those who wanted so much to embrace Him were embarrassed by Him. So they nailed His arms to beams of wood -- beams of rejection. If Jesus had not taken upon Himself this foolish ministry, he could have had all the kingdoms of the world as we heard Satan promise on the first Sunday of Lent.

But we would not have been healed. We would not have been saved. An un-crucified love is an impotent love. Un-crucified love has only feeling, but it has no desire of heart. It touches only the surface and has no power to heal.

Because He humbled Himself, God exalted Him. Foolishness to the unbeliever, but to us who are saved, we praise the crucified. We honor the cross. Because it is the instrument by which He has saved us and the world.

Christ has died; Christ is Risen; with a message of peace and forgiveness. We believe that when we give it we truly receive it as a sign of our desire to share in the healing of wounds that our sins have caused. With the strength of the Eucharist and the prayer of Christ we demonstrate love, concern, and thoughtfulness.