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The Community at Prayer
Reflection by Father Paul M. Baca
 April 17, 2011, Passion Sunday
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   Palm Sunday always makes me a little bit nostalgic and gives me an opportunity to remember Lent and Holy Week as it was throughout my life, and I must admit that the season provided many different experiences. What came to my mind this year was the devotion of The Way of the Cross and how that devotion can be such an enriching experience and in many ways reflects the life journey of each one of us.

     Ever since the beginning of September in 1940 when I went to the seminary, I remember the Fridays of Lent as a special day with The Way of the Cross and Benediction. I am sorry that this devotion is not promoted the way it was then. Many Catholics that I meet today have never been to the Stations. As I reminisced I remembered that for the 51 years of my active priestly ministry I had The Way of the Cross and Benediction every Friday and surprisingly, all were well attended.

     This devotion always made me appreciate the fact that Jesus was truly human and just like us in all things except sin. His life on earth started at Christmas and ended on Good Friday. For each one of us we have the opportunity of acknowledging our birthday and counting another year in the journey of our life. The day will come when we will pass from this life. I believe that Lent helps us to reflect that it is not how long we live, but rather, how well we have lived the teachings of Jesus, and what kind of a legacy we will leave behind us.

     We can look around us in life and realize that we have it much better than many others who suffer for many reasons, but Lent, if we are reflecting, reminds us that all the good things that we do and say do not just happen, but rather are the influence of loving parents and the possible effects that come from living our faith. We find ourselves trying to live in such a way that, by what we say and do, we can make things better for ourselves and others.

     In The Way of the Cross we see Jesus condemned to death by those who refused to accept his teaching as a way of life. Even Pilate had to admit that he was innocent but that did not make any difference because he still allowed Jesus to be executed in such a horrible way like the worst of criminals. On that journey Jesus falls under the cross and manages to get up and continue. As we know, he had been weakened by the long trial that lasted throughout the night. He was scourged unmercifully; they crowned him with thorns and dressed him in purple to make fun of him for saying that he was a king. On that journey he was accompanied by his mother; Veronica expressed loving concern by wiping his bloody, sweaty face with her veil; Simon of Cyrene helps him to carry his cross; and the women of Jerusalem weep as they see the effects of the treatment he has received. In life we have many people reaching out to us, supporting and inspiring us and motivating us, but at the same time we have all had detractors maybe even making false accusations and saying wicked things about us. But I don't think any one of us has suffered even a few of the indignities that Jesus suffered. This beautiful devotion helps us to appreciate all the good things that have been part of our lives and the people responsible for making those things happen. And at the same time we receive the courage to accept the setbacks that always seem to be part of a life's journey.

     What has had the greatest impact to me about this devotion of The Way of the Cross is the wonderful reality of the Resurrection of Jesus and he gained for us by that Resurrection to anticipate our own resurrection. Easter Sunday for me has always been the high point of the liturgical year and that is why I named the parish that I served before retirement Risen Savior. Above the altar we placed a statue of Jesus as the Risen Christ instead of the usual crucifix. For 21 years that I served the people of that parish, that statue reminded me of what is in store for us after our journey of life if we continue to walk as Jesus taught us in good times and in bad. Happy Easter.

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