The Passion readings on Palm Sunday and Good Friday are the longest readings of the year -- and for many of us the hardest to endure.
In modern America, everything is fast. We eat fast food, use high-speed internet, and even get packages and groceries delivered within hours.
Whenever something is slow (according to our standards) we are tempted to get irritated and complain. We simply don’t have the time for something to be slow and long, taking up precious seconds in our day.
Our short attention span is typically on full display every Palm Sunday and Good Friday when the Church proscribes a long Passion reading that can take between 10 and 20 minutes, depending on the version used and the cadence of the lectors.
It’s tempting to get frustrated with how long the reading is -- especially if Father hasn't invited us to sit down at the beginning! -- and to desire a short cut, so that we can get out of Mass and not miss our next "urgent" thing.
Yet, it's fitting that the Passion reading is long, as it forces us to enter (at least a very tiny amount) into Jesus’ suffering.
No pain, no gain
Jesus himself did not take any short cuts during the final days of his life. He could have easily avoided the cross and gone straight to the glory of Easter Sunday.
Instead, Jesus endured hours and hours of excruciating pain that none of us can truly comprehend. Every second of pain was offered for you and me and there was no “fast pass” option for Jesus to get it all over with.
When we attend the Palm Sunday or Good Friday services, we need to slow down and sit (stand!) in the uncomfortable feelings we are having. By doing so, we can unite our pain and suffering with Jesus on the cross and recognize our role in Jesus’ pain.
We are the ones who shout “Crucify him,” and it’s our hand that is driving the nail into Jesus’ feet.
If we are tempted to complain about the length of the Passion reading, let us try to enter into the pain Jesus felt and realize the 10 minutes we endure is nothing compared to what he suffered for our salvation.
