The journey through this week from Palm Sunday to Easter Sunday reminds us of our relationships with each other and our family.Today, Palm Sunday, can be compared to the beginning of our love. The excitement when we first met, shouting from the mountain top, "I have met the love of my life," our sacrifices in doing little things for each other, our accepting each other with open arms. It is the same with the followers on Palm Sunday; they were waving their palms and shouting, "Hosanna! Hosanna!"
Just as the journey through Holy Week, our relationship also goes through a change, we concentrate on ourselves, disillusionment steps in and by Friday, we are wondering "what did I ever see," Again, similar to the followers, who on Palm Sunday were shouting, "Hosanna!" on Good Friday their cry was "crucify him".By Easter Sunday, there is healing in our relationship which can be compared to resurrection and our relationship experiences true joy. This joy can also be compared to the followers when they realised Jesus had risen. This then gave them new life, hope, stability and a new way of doing things.Even the birth of our children is marked by the same cycle. "Love at first sight," joy and a sense of accomplishment.
By the end of the first week, disillusionment sets in with the crying baby, sleepless nights, no time for ourselves, tiredness. Easter Sunday comes with the first smile, "ma ma" or "da da" as they get older, their accomplishments are all part of the resurrection experience.As spouses, parents, families, we are called just like Jesus, the Lamb of God, to offer ourselves for the benefit of others. We are called to put God first in everything we do, our spouse and others second and ourselves last. It does not mean we have to totally deny ourselves, but rather share ourselves lovingly.We once read in an article that the difference between a Christian marriage and a civil marriage is that in a Christian marriage, spouses do not look for happiness but for unity.
This unity is only achieved if, by following the example of Jesus Christ, spouses and family members are willing to support each other by gentle encouragement and by obedience, faithfulness and trust in God's plan for marriage and family life.In his booklet Catholic Family: Become What you Are, Msgr Robert Llanos writes, "Eucharist at its root is a sacrificial meal and all who share in it are challenged to offer themselves for the benefit of others. Without a willingness to give, there is nothing to share; there is no Church. The Eucharist then, is a call to sacrificial love and a call to put that love into action through communion. In the Eucharist the lamb is offering himself for his spouse the Church."Lord help us to be like you, and offer ourselves for the good of each other and your Church. Help us to lovingly make sacrifices like you did for your Church.