Today's Gospel begins with one of the Twelve, one of the hand-picked apostles, going to the chief priests and agreeing to hand over Jesus for thirty silver pieces. It ends at the sealed tomb of Joseph of Arimathea where Jesus' shroud-wrapped body lies in death and Pilate's soldiers stand guard.

Between these two scenes we have the scene of Jesus sitting at table sharing the final Passover meal in which Jesus seems overwhelmed by thoughts of the coming betrayal and he takes bread and wine in his hands as he sacramentally hands over his body and blood to be poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins, inaugurating the new covenant.

Then the whole drama of the Passion unfolds, the lonely, prayerful agonising night of vigil, the betrayal, the arrest, the trial before the Jewish court, Peter's denials. Then the chief priests have Jesus bound and led away to hand him over to Pilate.

Pilate “ knows that it is out of jealousy that they have handed him over ” but Pilate himself gives in to the Jews and orders Jesus to be scourged and then handed over to be crucified. Jesus dead body is handed over by Pilate to Joseph of Arimathea.

As I read this story I see how many times the phrase “ handed over ” occurs. Judas questions the chief priests about the price he will be paid if he hands over Jesus to them. But Jesus is in fact the one who hands himself over when he gives himself for the forgiveness of sin and as spiritual nourishment.

How do we hand ourselves over? How do we pour out our blood for the forgiveness of sin?

When Sr Dorothy Stang made religious profession and even more when in fulfillment of her profession she set out for Brazil she was taking her life in her hands and handing it over. For forty years she struggled alongside the poor.

As wealthy people worked to take over the agricultural land of the poor, she stood with the poor, she joined her voice with theirs, and she went with them to protest, to seek justice. Then came the day of her handing over. A voice shouted: “This is her”. Gunshots rang out. She was dead. She had been handed over for execution.

Her blood has been poured out for many. Will it cleanse the land? Will it bring conversion, repentance and forgiveness of the sins of greed and injustice? Will it establish closer covenant bonds for the people of that land?

We stand before the tomb, sealed and guarded but we believe that in her handing over she can become nourishment for the spirit of the people enabling them to continue the struggle. Like Jesus she could say: “This is my body. This is my blood of the covenant.”

How do we live out our handing over? Perhaps we see a real need. We know it will be difficult but we hand over our lives. We gladly agree to take on the project. At the beginning people are interested, supportive, affirming. Then we make a “mistake”.

We do something people do not like and the handing over begins. Those with whom we have sat at table hand us over to be judged, mocked, insulted, spat upon. Friends, disciples, all leave us alone. They are afraid to identify themselves with the one in disgrace. Like Jesus we must live out our agony alone. Can we dare to do this?

As we walk in procession with palm branches today we acclaim Jesus whose handing over has won for us the right to share in the life of God. May it also be a sign of our commitment to hand ourselves over into God's hands to help fulfill God's purpose of fullness of life for all.

Let us pray.

Beloved Abba, in handing over your own Son you were handing over your very self. Thank you.

Thank you for those who have handed themselves over in order that others might have life. Thank you for parents and grandparents who often face a thankless task, insulted by their own children. Thank you for those who continue with trust in you to live out their lonely, painful vigil as they see those dear to them following destructive, death-dealing paths.

Thank you for those who give their time to go out on to the streets and meet the children who live there, helping them to discover their own dignity and to begin a new life. Even when faced with opposition from others they continue, faithful to their new friends.

They invite them to share the fullness of life as sons and daughters of God.

But sometimes we are like the disciples. We distance ourselves from the one who is now in disgrace. We even - like Peter - deny our previous closeness. We “do not know the man”.

Forgive us. We are so weak.

Like Pilate we know what is right but we give in to pressure. We hand over the innocent one because people demand his death. Forgive us.

But what about the times when we are like the chief priests? We use our authority or prestige to hand over for destruction those who are a threat to us. Forgive us.

Beloved God! Let truth reign in our world. Let justice prevail. Strengthen those who continue to suffer for the cause of righteousness. Make us ready to walk with Jesus from the supper room to Gethsemane and to the cross as he continues to hand over himself in these times. Amen