Jeanie Hannaman

By Dr. Jeff Mirus, Catholic Culture - The Book of Psalms is a remarkable collection of sung prayers which probe nearly every aspect of both the evil and the good that we do, and of our dependence on God for deliverance from the evil. But the themes can vary from concern about the trials of this world to concern about our eternal destiny. And while God is always the source of deliverance through His mighty power, the concept of redemption—that is, of God paying a price to free us from captivity to evil or death—is mentioned only sparingly, and with little or no development of what the word implies.

By Carrie Gress, The Catholic Thing - As we journey through Holy Week, the reversal of fortunes of Our Savior, from ignominious death to glorious resurrection, couldn’t be more stark. Jesus of Nazareth takes on the deepest scourge the Roman Empire could inflict, with nothing considered too brutal or shameful. Through it all, He was abandoned by those closest to Him, save a few holy women and the beloved disciple. But then, after days of silence, we are given the hope-filled image of the Magdalene, cold and trembling in the early morning hours, asking the gardener where he has put her Lord. ...

By Msgr. Charles Pope - The Passion, which we read in the liturgy for Palm Sunday, is too long to comment on in detail, so we will only examine a portion of it here... It may be of some value to examine the problems associated with the more moderate range of personalities involved. The usual villains (the Temple leaders, Judas, and the recruited crowd shouting, “Crucify him!”) are unambiguously wicked and display their sinfulness openly. But there are others involved whose struggles and neglectfulness are more subtle, yet no less real...

By Carl E. Olson, Catholic World Report - The readings for Palm Sunday, or Passion Sunday, are dramatic and demanding. They are excruciating in their raw depictions of violence and suffering. They also, as in the case of the great Christological hymn in St. Paul’s letter to the Philippians, are marked by exultation in the glory streaming forth from the pain and sacrifice of the Suffering Servant. Glory comes not from the power to suppress and enslave, but from the freely chosen obedience of selfless love.