Palm – Passion Sunday C 2004. April 4, 2004. Our Lady of Grace 7:30, 11:30, 6PM. Isaiah 50: 4-7. Philippians 2: 6-11. Luke 22: 14 – 23: 56.

We were made in the image of God. We were created to reflect God’s goodness and God’s glory. We were made to be the high point of God’s creative work in the world. We were made to know God and to serve God, and to be happy with God forever. And them our first parents, Adam and Eve, sinned. And we have continued to sin down through the ages. While the image of God is sometimes distorted and even mutilated in us by sin, God has not changed his plan for us. We were made in the image of God and death of Jesus on the Cross shouts good news to us. Even in our sins God loves us. Nothing will make God stop loving us.

The Passion in the Gospel of Luke highlights God’s compassion in calling us from sin and giving us the power to be saints. The sacred heart of Jesus will not give up on us. No matter what we do God still showers forgiveness and grace on us. All we have to do is accept God’s love.

As Jesus looked down from the Cross he saw those who had driven nails through his hands and feet and lifted him high into the air to suffer and to die. Instantly, Jesus was moved by love and compassion for them. He could not forget that God had a plan to make saints even out of his murders. He reminded his heavenly Father of the divine plan as he said, “Father, forgive them for they do not know what they are doing.”

When a criminal, a big sinner who was being crucified for his crimes, asked for mercy, Jesus made a saint out of him instantly. Jesus said to the dying criminal, “Amen, I say to you, today you will be with me in Paradise.”

This week Jesus calls us home to our vocation as God’s saints. All we have to do is say yes to his compassionate love and allow Jesus to work in us, transforming our lives.