Palm Sunday of the Lord's Passion ~ "Deep Wounds" ~ Rev. Benjamin Roberts, D.Min.

I read the passion of Jesus and I am convicted by one question.

How shallow is my faith?

When I hear of the arrest, the trial, the sufferings, the pain, the mocking, and the crucifixion of Jesus, I am disturbed by one question. How shallow is my faith?

How shallow is my faith? How shallow is my commitment to following the Lord Jesus?

The passion of Christ convicts me. I look at his rejection and his sufferings and his isolation and his obedience to the Father and I think of my own desire for convenience and for comfort. I will follow you, Lord Jesus, to the upper room, but could you please make sure that we have comfortable chairs? I will follow you, Lord Jesus, to the garden to pray, but could we have our time for prayer a little earlier or a little later? I will follow you. Lord Jesus, when you are arrested and taken for trial, but, could I please have a place to stand with people just like me? I will follow you, Lord Jesus, when you are convicted, but I will stay near the charcoal fire to keep warm. I will follow you, Lord Jesus, just as long as it is convenient for me and I am comfortable. How shallow is my faith?

How shallow is my faith? Would I celebrate the Eucharist publicly if it would lead to my arrest? Would I celebrate the Eucharist publicly if it could lead to my assassination at the altar, as it did for St. Oscar Romero forty-five years ago? Would I preach the name of Jesus and would I preach the truth in the name of Jesus if I could be condemned in the public square and confined by the halls of justice? How shallow is my faith when I seek the coddled Christianity of convenience and comfort? Does not the passion of Christ call me to something greater? Does not the offering of the life of Jesus Christ command more from my life?

How shallow is my faith . . . but how deep are the wounds of Christ! To enter deeply into the wounds of Christ is where my faith will be deepened. A shallow faith will not survive a persecution. A shallow faith that seeks first convenience and comfort will not survive the hours of trial. But in the deep wounds of Christ, I will find my lasting comfort. In the deep wounds of Christ, I will find the strength of faith. In the deep wounds of Christ, I will place my life and my hope and my faith.

I do not want a shallow faith of convenience and comfort. I want a saving faith in Christ, and I want for each of you a saving faith in Christ. We will find it the deep wounds of Christ.

Amen.