Breaking Open the News for Passion (Palm) Sunday—B

To see how you might use one of these points in your catechesis, read “How to lead a 90-minute catechetical session.”

The Way of Faith

Explain that Christ’s death on the cross transforms all other deaths into eventual blessing because we now have eternal life.

In the news

As many as 14 people have been shot dead in a murderous three-minute shooting rampage inside an upstate New York civic association building that caters to immigrants, according to federal and state authorities. (Binghamton Rampage Leaves 14 Dead, Police Don’t Know Motive)

In the readings

At noon darkness came over the whole land
until three in the afternoon.
And at three o’clock Jesus cried out in a loud voice,
“Eloi, Eloi, lema sabachthani?”
which is translated,
“My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”…
Jesus gave a loud cry and breathed his last. (Mk 14:1—15:47)

In the tradition

Death is transformed by Christ. Jesus, the Son of God, also himself suffered the death that is part of the human condition. Yet, despite his anguish as he faced death, he accepted it in an act of complete and free submission to his Father’s will. The obedience of Jesus has transformed the curse of death into a blessing. (Catechism of the Catholic Church, 1009)