The bridge to the song, “Truckin’” goes: “Sometimes The Light's All Shining On Me/ Other Times I Can Barely See/ Lately It Occurs To Me/ What A Long Strange Trip It's Been.” The gospel narrative of the ministry of Jesus is a mix of triumph and tragedy. There are times when it seems that everyone will believe in the Good News of the Father’s love that he preaches and makes visible in the signs and miracles that he accomplishes and other times when the people are ready to rise up and stone him, plotting to kill him. There are times when Peter sees clearly in faith, walks on water and like a rock, makes a firm act of faith in Jesus as the Son of God and the Messiah and other times when Peter cannot see the way at all and becomes an obstacle for Jesus. Through it all Jesus keeps moving forward in faith with his face set resolutely on Jerusalem and on the cross that is awaiting him there. Jesus just keeps truckin’ on.
Our liturgy today highlights the “long, strange trip” that Jesus makes as he enters into Jerusalem to celebrate the Passover with his disciples. We begin with our waving of palms and our singing of sweet hosannas and we are soon thrust into the Passion of the Lord and our handing over Jesus to be crucified. Even though he is being betrayed by his closest friends, Jesus never quits showing mercy and love to those whom he meets along the way of the cross. Even though he stumbles and falls along the way, he keeps getting up and moving on to the hill of Calvary. Jesus not only talks about true love, he walks the road of Calvary, the way of no greater love and as John tells us, “Jesus knew that his hour had come to pass from this world to the Father. He loved his own in the world and he loved them to the end.” (Jn 13,1) Jesus loves to the end. Jesus keeps loving on through all of the taunts, scourging, and tortures that are visited upon him. For Jesus, death itself is just another road that he must walk. Death and the tomb that he is laid in, is not the end. Jesus tells his disciples, “This is why the Father loves me, because I lay down my life in order to take it up again. No one takes it from me, but I lay it down on my own. I have power to lay it down, and power to take it up again. This command I have received from my Father.” (Jn 10,17f)
As disciples of Jesus, we are called to imitate Jesus and love as he has loved. Jesus tells his disciples: “You are my friends if you do what I command you…This I command you: love one another.” (Jn 15,14.17) Whether the light is shining on us or we can barely see, we must walk this long, strange trip in love, sacrifice and service to one another. From Palms to Passion, we keep moving on in love. It is indeed a long, strange trip but Jesus has shown us the way and where he has gone before us, we must follow. In faith and with the grace of God, we must keep truckin’ on! Amen!