For a Lighter Side of Holy Week

A Deal An Initiative of Jesus Youth

A father and son made a deal. Dad would buy Junior a car if the boy would shave his A Missionary Movement at the Service of the Church
beard and cut his shoulder length hair, and read his Bible every day. The car was
purchased, Junior did his reading, but didn’t get his hair cut or shave off his beard. Don Bosco Utume April 5, Palm Sunday: Issue 89
When Dad confronted him, he said, “Well, Dad. I have just been reading about Jesus
and he had long hair and a beard.” • Jambo You(th) is a weekly news letter aimed at helping the Youth in moulding their daily
“Yes he did,” the father agreed, “ and he also walked everywhere he went.” lives in Christ.
The Boy Jesus • Our vision is expressed in just two phrases: GOOD CHRISTIANS and
On the walls of a very old church in Germany there is a picture which was painted 500
RESPONSIBLE CITIZENS.
years ago. It shows the boy Jesus going to school…. With a bit of imagination, the
artist pictures a six year old schoolboy walking along with his grandmother Anna. One Pep-up : Stories for Reflection
of his little hands in hers, and the other holds his bag of school books. To the Young : The Thief on the Other Cross...

Features
Here was Jesus, like any other boy or girl of his age, going to school …..getting a new Points to Ponder : What is the Significance of Palm Sunday?
experience. As the Gospel says, “He was growing in wisdom.” Saint of the Week : St. Guthlac
Altruism Jokes : For a Lighter Side of Holy Week
Sunday school teacher: “Now, Jimmy, I told you to memorise the motto: ‘It is more Last Drop : Holy Blood
blessed to give than receive’.”
Jimmy: “But I already know it; that’s the motto my father has in his business.” Seal of Confession
Sunday school teacher: “Oh, how noble of him! And what is his business?” In 1853, a parish priest in the Ukraine was stripped of his priesthood, convicted of murder
Jimmy: “Boxing.” and condemned to Siberia for life. The priest’s gun, used for the slaying, was found hidden
behind the high altar of his church.
Last Drop “I assure you that I am innocent”, he told the court, and that was only his defense. He was
Holy Blood led away in chains while his bishop and parishioners stood weeping.
He walked the way to the garden - Twenty years later, the parish organist lay dying. He called for the village magistrate, and told
And blood fell in that place; him before many witnesses that he was the one guilty of the murder for which the priest was
Bounded before the rulers, sentenced. The organist had killed so that he might marry his victim’s widow. He hid the gun
His blood streamed down His face. and directed the police to it. Overwhelmed by remorse, he had visited the priest in prison and
No mercy, grace or pardon had confessed, but he lacked courage to admit his guilt to the authorities.
Was granted to Him, here. The priest had known through confession who was guilty. But he preferred to pass as the
But, God was, then, providing criminal himself rather than break the seal of confession. An order for the release of the
The price for all the years! priest was rushed to the Siberian prison. But it was too late. Worn out by his sufferings and
My sins were, there, upon Him; hard labour, the priest had died few weeks before, carrying his brim secret to the grave.
Blood red, then sparkling white! The story also resembles the experiences Jesus went through in his unjust trial and final cru-
My hope in Him, eternal, cifixion. He was innocent and yet he accepted the unjust verdict for the salvation of the entire
Brought Heaven into sight! human race.
Joan Clifton Costner As we recall these events in the life Jesus in this Holy Week, let us remind ourselves that the
suffering he took up on Himself were for our sake and for our sanctification.
NB: Send your questions, comments or feedback to [email protected] For further informa- So Let us walk this week (His best) with Jesus so that He may walk a life time with us...
tion and back issues of Jambo You(th) please check on our website: www.jamboyouth.multiply.com
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Editor: Shyjan Sdb
 The Thief on the Other Cross: A Good Friday Monologue What is the Significance of Palm Sunday or Passion Sunday?
I don't belong here. I really don't. Paradise is the last place I expected to end up after all I've done. Palm Sunday, also known as Passion Sunday, is the first day of Holy
Let me tell you my story. I am (I was ) an armed robber, I guess you'd call it. Me and Jake and the Week which ends with Easter the following Sunday. It commemorates
others would live in caves in the Judean hills near the road from Jerusalem to Jericho. We made our Jesus' entry into Jerusalem prior to be crucified a few days later. Actual
living by violence. We wouldn't take on people in the big groups that passed. They traveled together ceremonies typically include a procession of palm fronds which are
for safety. But a family alone would be an easy mark, as well as anyone foolish enough to travel by blessed and will later be burned, their ashes used in the next year's Ash
himself. Brandishing a strong staff would usually do the trick. Threaten them with a beating and
they'd give up without much of a fight. But I've been known to break a few bones in my day, God Wednesday.
forgive me. I don't think I actually killed anyone, but then I never stayed around long enough to find This Sunday observes the triumphal entry of Jesus into Jerusalem that
out. The first time I meet Jesus is when I was invited to a party in his honor in Jericho at the home of was marked by the crowds, who were in Jerusalem for the Passover,
a rich tax collector named Zacchaeus. I was introduced, we shook hands, and Jesus looked me in waving palm branches and proclaiming him as the messianic king. The Gospels tell us that
the eye for a long time. He could see right into me, who I was, every crime I have ever committed. Jesus rode into the city on a donkey, enacting the prophecy of Zechariah 9:9, and in so doing
Then he smiled this big friendly smile. "You know," he says, "there's forgiveness for you in my King- emphasized the humility that was to characterize the Kingdom he proclaimed. The irony of his
dom. How about it?" I drop my eyes, say something non-committal, and shuffle away. The next day acceptance as the new Davidic King (Mark 11:10) by the crowds who would only five days
I'm in the crowd, hanging on every word he says. Jesus is talking about his Kingdom, comparing it to later cry for his execution should be a sobering reminder of the human tendency to want God
a mustard seed, calling it the Kingdom of Heaven. I want so much to go up to him after he has fin- on our own terms.
ished and take him up on that forgiveness thing, but I just can't bring myself to do it. I wish I had. It
isn't much later when me and my friend Jake -- the guy on the third cross -- get caught by a Roman Traditionally, worshippers enact the entry of Jesus into Jerusalem by the waving of palm
patrol. The others run off, but they catch us, beat us silly, drag us into Jerusalem, and throw us in branches and singing songs of celebration. Sometimes this is accompanied by a procession
prison. No mercy for the likes of us. And so it happens that on the same day that they crucify Jesus, into the church. In many churches, children are an integral part of this service since they en-
they crucify me and Jake -- one of us on his left, the other on his right. This isn’t any normal crucifix- joy processions and activity as a part of worship. This provides a good opportunity to involve
ion. Mobs of people are there just because of Jesus. Self-righteous Pharisees are swaggering and them in the worship life of the community of Faith. In many more liturgical churches, children
mocking. "If you're some kind of messiah," one sneers, "come on down from that cross. If you're a are encouraged to craft palm leaves used for the Sunday processional into crosses to help
savior, save yourself -- if you can!" Jake begins cat-calling, too, if you can imagine that. I yell over at make the connection between the celebration of Palm Sunday and the impending events of
him, "You miserable thug, don't you have any fear of God? Can't you see that we're going to die just Holy Week.
like he is? Show a little decency! We're getting exactly what we deserve, but he hasn't done anything This Sunday is also known as Passion Sunday to commemorate the beginning of Holy Week
wrong." Jake quietens down and the Pharisees lose interest. But I can't get Jericho out of my mind. I
can't forget Jesus' eyes, his words, and his invitation. And so I call over to him, though it's getting and Jesus’ final agonizing journey to the cross. The English word passion comes from a Latin
hard to breathe and talking makes it that much harder. "Jesus!" I say. He turns his head towards me. word that means "to suffer," the same word from which we derive the English word patient.
"Jesus, I was there in Jericho. I met you at a party at Zacchaeus' house, remember?" He looks at me
for a moment and then nods his head just a little. He does remember. "I never forgot what you said. I SAINT for the WEEK
wanted to say yes, but just couldn't. And now look at me -- look at us!" He is in bad shape -- ex- April 8 St. Guthlac
hausted, in excruciating pain, back oozing, breath labored. He isn't going to last long. I can see that. The little town of Crowland stands in the Fens east of Peterborough and its famous 'three-
But somehow I can see beyond all that. He was the Messiah, is the Messiah, no matter what those
way' medieval bridge, standing in the town centre over what is now dry land serves as a re-
priests and Romans and Pharisees have done to him. And when he dies, he will be with God. In a
few hours, maybe less, he will be vindicated. He will reign in that Kingdom he told us about. minder that this was once a true water-town, a miniature Fenland Venice. The hermit St.
"Jesus," I call again, quieter now. He opens his eyes. They are the same eyes, the same piercing, Guthlac (673-714) was its most famous inhabitant. Originally a soldier, he had been a monk
loving, honest eyes. "Jesus," I said, "when you come into your Kingdom, would you remember me?" at Repton, near Derby, but was persuaded to leave the community because of the campaign
His words are labored, his lips parched, but I can still hear him pretty well. "Truly, I say to you...." His he waged against any kind of alcohol. Reaching Crowland by boat, he established his hermit-
voice cracks, then is stronger for a moment. "Truly, this very day you will be with me in Paradise." age there and became famous for his sanctity and religious dedication. His cult was spread
His eyes droop. He is fading quickly now. But I believe him. I do! That's what gets me through those by Kings and Archbishops alike; the abbey of Crowland was built round his cell, with his jewel
next few hours until they break my legs to kill me. I do believe him! And then I find myself here in -laden shrine at its centre. In the British Museum there survives the so-called Guthlac Roll, a
heaven, in Paradise. I sure don't deserve to be here, but here I am anyway. I guess that's what a 12th. century picture-biography of the saint. Along with St. Cuthbert in the North, Guthlac
man like me gets when the King himself grants a pardon. Full forgiveness. Pretty amazing, don't you
ensured that the life of the solitary, praying hermit was taken seriously, and that the hermit
think?
was seen as a powerful intercessor for the needs of those at work in the world.
by Dr. Ralph F. Wilson

Don’t tell your God how big your problems are, but tell your problems how big your God is. A life without cause is a life without effect.
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