Sermon: "Christ’s Passion and Our Own"
The Right Reverend Charles G. vonRosenberg
Third Bishop of East Tennessee

[This sermon by Bishop vonRosenberg was delivered using the following notes.]

Life at times can seem like an emotional roller coaster. That is, we have those tremendous occasions of being uplifted, high above the world. And then, there are times when we plunge down dramatically and find ourselves in the depths of life. We all experience this roller coaster ride of emotions. Occasions of wonderful joy and overwhelming happiness bless us. But, also, tragic sorrows and emotional pain come our way as well. We may react differently as individuals, but we all ride the roller coaster. Even as a country we have ridden such a roller coaster for several weeks now, relative to events in Iraq. Indeed, the highs and lows of life’s emotion are well known to us all.

The word that gathers these various emotions together and describes them is “passion.” Passion indicates any deeply felt emotion. Thus, it is a very appropriate word in considering the emotional roller coaster that life sometimes brings our way. And thus, also, it is appropriate that today is called Palm Sunday or the Sunday of Our Lord’s Passion.

Indeed, today begins the season of Holy Week … or, the Week of the Passion. This is the shortest season of our church year by far. And it is certainly the most intense as well … the most passionate. Think of the emotions involved in the events we remember this week. From the kingly entry of Jesus into Jerusalem to the intimate sharing of the Last Supper; from betrayal and arrest to trial and, finally, crucifixion … surely this week should be remembered as the one of our Lord’s Passion.

The events of Holy Week bring to mind much that requires our attention and thought. Indeed, I commend to your thoughts and prayers this week our Lord’s experiences and how Christ’s passion impacts our lives. During this sermon, though, I want to mention three points – three observations – from among the many that could be chosen.

First, we know more about Jesus’ life during this week than at any other comparable period. His public ministry was quite brief – about three years. However, we know far more about his life through the events of Holy Week than from any other comparable period of time.

In fact, if we should mark in the Gospels the point of Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem, we would find that at least one-third of each Gospel book follows that point. Thus, at least one-third of the Gospel material we have involves what comes after the beginning of Holy Week. Thus, we know more about Jesus’ actions and thoughts during this week, the final week of his earthly life, than at any other time.

Secondly, the events of this week have a direct bearing on our own salvation. We are involved in this story. Somehow – mysteriously – our ultimate destiny in God’s plan is tied up with what happened to Jesus during the week of his Passion. Indeed, our salvation depends on the events of Holy Week.

Now, this is a great mystery. We do not comprehend it fully – and, indeed, we cannot. However, the idea of redemption is involved. That is, Jesus redeemed – or, paid for – our salvation ahead of time by his suffering and death … by his Passion. We affirm in our statements of faith that Jesus redeemed us from sin and death … and he did so by means of the events of this Holy Week.

Therefore, the second important point about Holy Week to recognize today is that the events of this week have everything to do with our own salvation.

The third and final point today is the one that I want to emphasize most of all – and this point relates to the other two. The experience of Jesus during Holy Week – Passion Week – encourages us to see our lives in a new light. Not only is this week an invitation to perceive our lives differently, but also this week provides a frame of reference to experience our lives differently as well.

Thus, as we know the emotions of our roller coaster ride through life, we may also know and participate with Christ in his roller coaster ride of Holy Week. After all, he went from great joy to equally great sorrow; from precious intimacy with friends to extreme loneliness; from fulfillment of life to pain and death. We know such experiences in our lives – and so did Jesus Christ.

The goal of the Christian life is union with Christ. We say that in many different ways … and we say it often. However, if we were to narrow the object of our Christianity to one goal, that should be it – union with Jesus Christ.

We begin our Christian lives at Baptism. And, at Baptism, we pray that those who are baptized will share in Christ’s life. Thus, we are baptized into that life, including Christ’s death and resurrection. Further, we wear the mark of Baptism on our foreheads all the rest of our lives. That indelible cross is a symbol of our union with Christ.

Baptized life in union with Christ’s life is confirmed at services of Confirmation. Confirmation relates directly to Baptism, for we pray the baptismal prayers and confirm the baptismal promises today.

Then, at the Holy Eucharist – the other great sacrament – we gain sustenance for this life begun at Baptism. We take the bread and wine, and we pray that they may be for us the body and blood of Christ. Then, we eat the bread and drink the wine with the prayer that Christ himself may be in us and we, in him – union with Christ, you see.

The events of Holy Week provide us the best opportunity to live our roller coaster lives in awareness of Christ – and of his Passion. Thus, Holy Week’s experiences encourage us to concentrate, meditate, and participate in the life of Christ at all times.

Therefore, my friends, know Christ during this week, and he will be known to you all your lives. Make yourselves available in the experiences of Christ during Holy Week, and he will be present to you always. May we truly seek union with Christ so that he may be in us, and we, indeed, may always live in him. Amen.

Copyright © 2003 The Episcopal Diocese of East Tennessee