Sunday Inbox Inspirations
Palm/Passion Sunday
Cycle A
April 2, 2023
The Passion According to Matthew
As you know, there are four gospels.
Each of the gospel writers – Matthew, Mark, Luke, and John – each of them tells the very important story of the Passion, the account of Jesus’ suffering and death. But each of them tells this in a slightly different way, including different details or highlighting different themes.
This afternoon we just heard the account of the Passion according to Matthew. I want to comment on just two details in this passage that have a message for us.
God’s Love
First, Matthew is the only gospel writer who informs us about the suicide of Judas.
Why does he mention this? Judas comes to realize that he has betrayed a good and holy man.
But tragically, Judas does not realize that Jesus is so good that he still loves him and will forgive him and accept him. Judas is unable to see this.
So implicitly, by recalling this, Matthew wants us to be clear that nothing we do is too bad to be forgiven by God. God’s love is unconditional, and there is nothing about us as persons or about our behavior that is beyond God’s love and forgiveness.
It’s important for us to remember this for our own sake. It’s important for us to share this with anyone who thinks that they are so sinful that they cannot be forgiven.
And it’s important for us as a Church to live out this love of God in our ministry. This means that everyone needs to be welcome here – regardless – regardless of anything.
God’s Presence
Then, Matthew, Mark, and Luke, in their accounts of Jesus’ Passion, Three of the four gospel writers tell us about the tearing of the curtain in the temple.
So, this must be an important detail. Today’s passage says that at the moment Jesus dies, “the veil of the sanctuary was torn in two from top to bottom.”
This veil or curtain separated what was called the Holies of Holies – the area of the temple where God is seen as dwelling – it separated this from the rest of the temple. So, the tearing of the curtain is a sign that this separation from God no longer exists.
It means that Jesus’ death and eventual resurrection proclaims that God is with and within us. An Augustinian priest named Martin Laird at Villanova University writes this in one of his books.
He says: “Because God is the ground of our being, the relationship between creature and Creator is such that…separation is not possible…we are and always have been one with God and we are all one in God.” So, in the tearing of that sanctuary veil, Matthew wants us to be clear that we are not separate from God.
God is with us. God is within us.
So, may we live with that assurance and comfort and trust. This, along with God’s love for us no matter what, are important messages in Matthew’s account of the Passion of Jesus.
Fr. Michael Schleupner
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