Sermon: "Christ's Passion and Ours"
The Right Reverend Charles G. vonRosenberg
Third Bishop of East Tennessee

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

Life sometimes seems like an emotional roller coaster ride. We have those tremendous times of being uplifted, high above the world. And then, there are times also when we plunge down at a rapid pace and find ourselves in the depths of existence.

I understand that a family in this congregation has experienced a tragedy in the past few days. Therefore, you have known very recently some of life's depths, life's hardships and sorrows.

We all experience this roller coaster ride of emotions from time to time. There are moments of wonderful joy and overwhelming happiness. And such moments are followed by tragic sorrows and emotional pain. We may react differently as individuals, but we all ride the roller coaster.

One word which gathers these emotions together and describes them is "passion." Passion indicates any deeply-felt emotion. Thus, it is a very appropriate word as we consider the emotional roller coaster ride which is life. And thus, also, it is especially 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, events which Jesus experienced. 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 week of our Lord's passion.

It seems to me that there are many aspects of this Holy Week experience which we might emphasize. However, this morning I want to mention briefly three points in particular.

First of all, we know more about Jesus' life during this week than at any other time. His public ministry was brief - about three years. But within that time, this is the week about which we know the most.

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. Therefore, at least one-third of the Gospel material involves what we call "Holy Week." And, in fact, we have a fairly complete record of Jesus' actions and reflections during this week - or, at least, certainly more complete than any other period of his life.

Therefore, my first point is this. We know more about Jesus' life during this week than at any other time.

Secondly, the events of this week have a direct bearing on our own salvation. 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.

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

The third and final point is the one which I want to emphasize most of all today. The experience of Jesus during Holy Week - Passion Week - encourages us to see our own lives in a new light. And not only is this an invitation to perceive our lives differently, but also to experience them differently as well. Put another way, our experience of Holy Week may place the joys and sorrows of our own lives into a context of the life that Jesus shares with us. For an individual or a family or a church family which encounters tragedy, therefore, Holy Week can become especially significant in those terms.

Thus, as we know the emotions of our own 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 to extreme loneliness; from fulfillment of life to pain and death. We know something about those experiences which Christ knew quite directly in his own experience.

The goal of the Christian life is union with Christ. We say that in many different ways - and we say it often. But, if we were to narrow down the object of our Christianity to one goal, that should be it - union with Christ. Holy Week provides a wonderful opportunity to take steps toward that life goal.

We begin our Christian lives with baptism. And at baptism, we pray that those who are baptized will share Christ's life. Thus, we are baptized into that life of Christ, including his death and resurrection. Further, we wear the mark of baptism on our foreheads all the rest of our lives. That invisible cross is a symbol of our union with Christ. People confirmed today take another step on the journey of life shared with Jesus Christ … the journey that began at baptism.

Then, at the Eucharist - the other great sacrament of the Church - 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 will be in us, and we, in him. Thus, again, union with Christ is the object.

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 be in him. Amen.

Copyright © 2007 The Episcopal Diocese of East Tennessee