Mercifully grant that we may walk in the way of his suffering, and also share in his Resurrection. -Liturgy for Palm Sunday, BCP p. 272
In doctors' waiting rooms, people pass the time by reading ancient magazines, playing with cell phones, or simply fidgeting. Their restlessness always makes me wonder how a person waiting for a doctor can be called a patient. But the word comes from the Latin root word "pati" that speaks of suffering and enduring. People generally come to a doctor because they are suffering, trying to endure some form of pain or discomfort. The word passion comes from "passus," a verb form of the same root word. So when we say that someone has a passion for something, we may mean that they care enough to suffer for it.
Palm Sunday, the day we reenact Jesus' trial and execution, is often called the Sunday of the Passion. Back when I thought the word dealt only with romantic love, I could not understand using passion to describe Jesus' suffering and death. But on the Sunday of the Passion, we retell the story of Jesus' arrest, torture, and crucifixion. On this day we see how deeply God loves us. Remembering that "passion" comes from the root word for "suffering," we see in detail what God was willing to do to save us. As disciples, we ask in the Palm Sunday liturgy "that we may walk in the way of his suffering, and also share in his Resurrection."
Few followers of Christ today will be asked to endure physical torture and death for God. But are we willing to endure other human trials-embarrassment at not fitting in, acknowledgement of weakness, vulnerability, and need of forgiveness-for the love of God? Do we love God with a passion?
Lord God, allow us to love others with the same passion you show for us.
From Disciples on the Way by Carol Mead
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