• HOME
  • WHO WE ARE
    • History
    • Dominican Spirituality
    • Life and Mission
    • Associates
      • Ireland
      • South Africa
      • Associates Stories
        • Mary Mc Crae
        • Niamh Smith
        • Janice Mc Garry
    • Dominican Saints
      • Saint Dominic
      • Thomas Aquinas
      • Saint Catherine
      • Fra Angelico
      • St. Agnes of Montepulciano
      • St. John Macias
      • A poem for Jubilee Year
    • Books
    • Child Safeguarding Policy
  • WHAT WE DO
    • Ecology
      • An Tairseach- Dominican Farm and Ecology Centre
      • 2022 – Programme of events
    • Justice
    • Education
      • Dominican Ethos in Schools
      • Secondary Schools ROI
      • Secondary Schools NI
      • Primary Schools
      • Special Schools
      • Third Level
      • Lumen Dominican Centre Sion Hill
        • Lumen Dominican Centre
    • Sacred Preaching Space
    • Ecumenism
    • Pastoral Care
    • Other Ministries
  • WHERE WE ARE
    • Ireland
    • North America – Louisiana
    • Latin America
    • South Africa
    • Portugal
      • Archives
  • VOCATIONS
    • Becoming a Dominican Sister
    • Vocation Stories
      • Sr Margaret MacCurtain OP
      • Sr Bridget O’Driscoll OP
      • Sr Francis Cosgrove OP
      • Sr. Aedris Coates OP
      • Sr. Margaret Kelly OP
      • Sr. Joan O’Donovan OP
      • Sr Sabine Schratz OP
      • Sr. Liz Smyth OP
      • Sr. Eileen O’Connell
      • Sr. Edel Murphy OP
      • Sr. Kathleen Fitzsimons OP
      • Sr. Rose McLarnon OP
      • Sr. Eileen McCarthy OP
  • SAFEGUARDING
    • Child Safeguarding Policy
    • Child Safeguarding Statement
    • Contact Details
  • TV
    • NEWS
      • ChurchTV
      • Photo Gallery
  • CONTACT
    • GDPR
    • Data Retention and Erasure Policy
    • Privacy Notice
    • Web Privacy Statement
    • User Agreement
    • Cookie Policy
facebook
twitter

Recent

16
APR
2014

Passion Sunday

by : Elizabeth Ferguson OP
comment : 0

We tend to think of Passion Sunday, Passion Week and the Passion of Jesus in terms of suffering. But, we could also look on the Passion of Jesus as that which drove his very heart and soul, namely establishing the reign of God. The Scriptures for Passion Sunday are packed with intensity of emotion. They are like a prelude to that symphony that will be played out in the movements of the coming week.

The person of Jesus is the character we follow through each scriptural piece. We see him humble, strong, not arrogant about himself, giving, working towards completion of his given task.

The humble entry into Jerusalem on a donkey is recognizable to the people and to the powers as a bold claim to Messiahship. This excites the crowd while it terrifies the authorities whose allegiance is to Rome rather than to God. If we read on in the Gospel we see Jesus taking his authority to the Temple to restore it to a place of worship. Then there gathers round him the lame and blind, coming to him for healing. Here is truly God’s reign, for which Jesus is passionate, come to the temple.

There is nothing weak in Isaiah’s servant who has a well trained tongue to speak to the weary a word that will rouse them. Not only does this servant not recoil from suffering, but does not turn back from that word that God gives morning after morning. As applied to Jesus, the people know his well trained tongue that comforts the weary and rouses them to their new possibilities. They know his deeds that lift them up. Now they will see in him that same character who has set his face like flint, and whose passion for God will not allow him to turn back from the suffering.Palm Sunday

Though in the form of God, he did not grasp at equality with God. He had no need to flaunt himself, because he was sure of himself and of his mission. In fact, only in human form could he passionately and authentically promote the possibility of God’s reign for the world.

Then at his final meal with his followers, Jesus took the bread and wine to share with them, calling it his body which would be broken, and his blood which would be poured out. The pattern of his life had been a giving, so this symbol of giving his body, was not really surprising. Then came the mandate – to continue the giving, the breaking open, the pouring out in memory of him, all for the sake of the reign of God. So the Eucharist of Jesus is not a pious ritual in which we might feel obliged to participate. It is a way of living, patterned on Jesus.

Accepting death on a cross, this is where it all leads. It finishes here. We hear Jesus’ own words, “It is finished,” yes, finished not as ended but as completed, and a new phase begins. His passion for God’s reign led to the passion of suffering. As his followers, we are not invited but mandated to have this same passion for the reign of God among.

This is the Jesus of Passion. Dwelling on the passion of his suffering may lead us to some sense of sorrow and remorse. But it is our lot to dwell on the Passion of his life and actively participate in it.

May we ponder during these days the passion of our souls and hearts and whether or not it a passion for the reign of God.

 

Elizabeth Ferguson, OP

About the Author

Leave a Reply Cancel reply

*
*

captcha *

Sr Columbia OP - Reflection for a Nun's Life Ministry

April 01, 2021

Advent Calendar' - a poem by Dr Rowan Williams narrated by Sr Eileen O Connell OP

December 14, 2020

In Memory Of Our Deceased Sisters November 19-November 2020

November 29, 2020
  • Posts
  • Categories
  • Tags
  • Video highlighting the work done by Dominican Sisters in Slovakia
  • Summer Retreats by the Sea and Yoga at Anam Ashram
  • Hope House Spring Journal
  • Congratulations on the Official Opening of Our Lady of Hope School
  • Anam Ashram Newsletter 2022
  • Dominican Month for Peace – December 2021
  • Graduation ceremony in Moreno National University on 28th October 2021
  • On bends in the road (From Blog of Sr. Eileen O’Connell OP)
  • Prayer of the Faithful for Mission Sunday
  • Celebrating the Month of Creation in Galway
  • An Tairseach (29)
  • Dominican Associates (3)
  • Dominican News (263)
  • Education (75)
  • Events (88)
  • Good News (78)
  • Highlights (26)
  • Home Page Slider (18)
  • Ireland (80)
  • Justice (68)
  • Latin America (29)
  • Louisiana (17)
  • News (393)
  • Our Regions (8)
  • Poems (5)
  • Portugal (14)
  • Prayers (17)
  • Proclaiming (7)
  • Professions (4)
  • Reflections (12)
  • Rest Of The World (5)
  • Sacred Space (4)
  • South Africa (23)
  • Stories (21)
  • Uncategorized (284)
  • Vatican II- Remembering (7)
  • Vocations (14)
  • Women Preachers (12)
Dominican Women South Africa Reflection Vatican II Mission and Ministry God An Tairseach Baptism Art Chaplain Hello Logo Pauline Hospital Portugal Louisiana Ireland Mindfulness in Education Froebel College of Education The Woman at the Well Lay participation in Parish Life Compassion illness RIP Rest In Peace Mary Magdalen Spring

Twitter

  • RT @BA_McShane: Join me in conversation with Alan Hayes of @ArlenHouse on Saturday to pay tribute to the late, great Dr Margaret MacCurtain… over a year ago
  • RT @rogerchilds2u: @sinead_mccoole @UCC @DominicanSrsCab @UCDHistory @burnslibrary @ArlenHouse Thank you for such an elegant, touching and… over a year ago
  • RT @sinead_mccoole: Dr Margaret MacCurtain's life spanned 9 decades, 1000s of lives were enriched @UCC @DominicanSrsCab @UCDHistory @burnsl… over a year ago

Fourteenth Sunday in Ordinary time July 3rd 2022

June 27, 2022

Thirteenth Sunday in Ordinary time 26th June 2022

June 22, 2022

Corpus Christi 19th June 2022

June 13, 2022

Trinity Sunday (13th June 2022)

June 07, 2022

Pentecost Sunday 5th June 2022

May 30, 2022

Seventh Sunday Easter (29th May 2022)

May 24, 2022

Search Our Site

Recent Posts

  • Video highlighting the work done by Dominican Sisters in Slovakia
  • Summer Retreats by the Sea and Yoga at Anam Ashram
  • Hope House Spring Journal
  • Congratulations on the Official Opening of Our Lady of Hope School
  • Anam Ashram Newsletter 2022

Fourteenth Sunday in Ordinary time July 3rd 2022

June 27, 2022

Thirteenth Sunday in Ordinary time 26th June 2022

June 22, 2022

Corpus Christi 19th June 2022

June 13, 2022

Trinity Sunday (13th June 2022)

June 07, 2022

Pentecost Sunday 5th June 2022

May 30, 2022

Seventh Sunday Easter (29th May 2022)

May 24, 2022

Dominican Links

  • Dominican Ecology Centre
  • Dominican Contemplative Nuns at the Monastery of St Catherine of Siena
  • Order of Preachers
  • Dominican Friars
  • AMRI
  • Lay Dominicans Ireland

Our Ministries

  • Dominican Ecology Centre
  • Contemplative Outreach
  • Dominican Sisters International
  • Irish Archives Resource

Contact Us

  1. Name *
    * Please enter your name
  2. Email *
    * Please enter a valid email address
  3. Message *
    * Please enter message
Copyright © 2020 Dominican Sisters Cabra. All Rights Reserved. Please click GDPR Information.
Web DesignbyOrbit Technologies
 

Loading Comments...