The Gospel this Sunday describes the passion of Jesus that climaxed in His death on the cross.

          Prepare the family to listen to the passion of Jesus. Make sure they are seated in a comfortable position. It is the longest of the Gospels. Our forefathers sang or recited the passion to each other (some still do in certain towns). Some dramatize it to have a better feel of the events.

          Start this family session with a silent prayer, each one feeling the presence of the Lord in and amongst the family. You are here, Lord, showing us your love!

          Then, read Luke 22:14-23:56 slowly to the family. Request them to look at these events as it unfolds through the eyes a disciple, say, the eyes of Peter. Pause for reflection after each event. Remember that there is a lesson for every disciple in each of these events, to prepare each disciple to go on a mission, a mission they still could not fully understand or comprehend at this time.

          Jesus told the disciples three times before that He would be delivered to unbelievers, who would mock Him, insult Him, spit on Him and after they had scourged Him, they would kill Him; but He would rise on the third day. The disciples must have blocked off their minds and refused to believe that these could happen to the Messiah.

          Check your feelings and thoughts against that of Peter's as you listen to the passion of Jesus.

The Supper of the Lord (22:14-23)

          The Lord wants to have this Passover meal with us before He suffers and tells us that He will not eat it again until it is fulfilled in the kingdom of God. What does He mean by "before He suffers"? What is to be fulfilled? In the Passover, a lamb is to be sacrificed. Will there be a lamb to be killed to fulfill the Passover sacrifice?

          Jesus took bread and wine, gave thanks and shared it with us, saying, these are His body and blood. He told us before, "He who eats my flesh and drinks my blood lives with eternal life and I will raise him up on the last day. My flesh is really food and my blood is drink. He who eats my flesh and drinks my blood, lives in me and I in him" (John 6:54-56). Many could not take this teaching and instead they had abandoned Him. I will never abandon Him specially now that He had showed me how to take His body and drink His blood that He live in me. I now understand why John (the Baptist) called Jesus the Lamb of God who takes away the sin of the world (John 1:29).

          As the Passover lamb was offered to God to redeem Israel, will Jesus be offered to God to redeem us? (Jesus instituted the Eucharist.)

Who is the Greatest? (22:24-27)

          Jesus said the greatest is the one who serves. He illustrated this by washing our feet, explaining, "You call me Master and Lord, and rightly; so I am. If I, then, the Lord and Master, have washed your feet, you should wash each other's feet" (John 13:14). I may not be the greatest among the disciples but I must learn to serve if I am to follow Him.

The Reward Promised to Apostles (22:28-30)

          Jesus reiterated the reward for those who shall follow Him faithfully -- a place in the kingdom.

Peter's Denial and Repentance Foretold (22:31-34)

          With the flesh and blood of Jesus in me, I am determined to follow Jesus to prison and to death. But He said I will deny Him three times before the cock crows today? This cannot be! Jesus, however, have prayed that I will recover and that my faith shall strengthen the faith of my brothers.

A Time of Crisis (22:35-38)

          Jesus cited another scripture passage that He said will soon be fulfilled, "He let himself be taken for a criminal." He will be treated like a criminal so that I took it He wanted us to arm ourselves with swords. When I said we have two swords, He said, "That is enough!" How can this be enough against a horde of Jews with Roman soldiers?

At the Mount of Olives (22:39-46)

          I followed Jesus with the others to the Mount of Olives. He said to us, "Pray that you may not be put to the test." He taught this to us before (Luke 11:2-4) but I can feel that I would be tested soon. I can hear Him pray, "Father, if it is your will, remove this cup from me; yet not my will but yours be done." I can feel Him agonize over things that will come but still, if these be the will of the Father, then, let it be done. The focus of His prayers is always the will of the Father.

The Arrest (22:47-53)

          I see Judas coming and he kissed Jesus who said to him, "Judas, you are betraying the Son of Man with a kiss?" Judas could not answer. Sensing trouble, we wanted to use our swords. One of us in the ensuing struggle cut the ear of a servant. Jesus stopped us and cured the servant. So that was the purpose of Jesus for saying two swords are enough, just to show His glory. But the crowd was blind to His glory and was bend on arresting Him.

          Jesus drew the attention of the crowd to Him. Was this His way for us to escape arrest?

          He went with them like a lamb to slaughter.

Peter's Denial (22:54-62)

          I could not just leave Jesus but I had to keep my distance for fear of being caught. So when someone identified me, I kept no denying that I know Jesus until I heard the cock crowing. At this moment, Jesus turned and looked at me. I knew what He wanted to tell me. I retreated into the dark and wept bitterly -- for what Jesus said came true.

Jesus was Mocked, Beaten, Tried and Sentenced (22:63-72, 23:1-25)

          I can feel every verbal abuse hurled on Jesus, every whip, every thorn piercing His head. How can they do this to the Messiah? He accepted all these like a sacrificial lamb. How can He endure these abuses?

The Way to Calvary (23:26-32)

          They made Jesus carry a heavy cross and led Him to Calvary. He carried the cross silently but was struggling due to the weight. A man came and helped Him carry the cross. How I wish that I could be that man. I can hear women weeping as He fell several times. I am also weeping.

          Two thieves carrying their crosses joined Jesus to Calvary. Jesus is now among criminals. The scripture was again fulfilled when Jesus was joined by criminals.

The Crucifixion (23:33-43)

          When Jesus arrived on Calvary, He was nailed on His cross and made to hang on it. I can feel the nails tearing on my flesh against the weight of my body. The soldiers keep on mocking Him. I hear Jesus forgiving them, "Father, forgive them for they do not know what they do." Is this what He taught us when He said to us to love our enemies? Seventy times seven?

The Death of Jesus (23:44-56)

          On the ninth hour and from a distance, I hear Jesus exclaimed, "Father, into your hands I commit my spirit." I now recall when Jesus told us for the first time that these things shall happen to Him. He told us:

          "If anyone wants to be a follower of mine, let him renounce himself and take up his cross every day and follow me. For anyone who wants to save his life will lose it; but anyone who loses his life for my sake, that man will save it." (Luke 9:23-24)

          Jesus is indeed the greatest of teachers for He had renounced Himself and become man, and had carried His cross as the way to save lives, our lives -- that I may renounce myself, take up my cross every day and follow Jesus. So this is the meaning of the Passion of Jesus.

          If this is how I will end as His follower, as Jesus had said, "Father, if it is your will, remove this cup from me; yet not my will but yours be done." I pray that I shall recover my faith so that I may strengthen others' faith.

Prayer and Reflection

          This experience of Peter and the other apostles is not yet complete to fully motivate them to follow Jesus to renounce themselves, take up their crosses every day and follow Jesus. But the faith of Peter shall keep him on searching for the truth.

          Let the family learn from the experience of Peter as they go through the Passion of Jesus.

Joe & Charito

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