Palm Sunday of the Passion of the Lord (C)
Readings: Luke 19:28-40; Isaiah 50:4-7; Psalm 21 (22):8-9, 17-20, 23-24; Philippians 2:6-11; Luke 22:14-23:56
Picture: By Bundo Kim on Unsplash
(At the Entrance:) Peace in heaven and glory in the highest! My dear friends, do these words of praise from the gospel we just heard ring a bell? Didn’t we hear similar words at Christmas? Spoken by a great host of angels, addressing shepherds living on the outskirts of Bethlehem, announcing to them the birth of a Saviour (Lk 2:14)? And didn’t those words prompt the shepherds to leave their flocks, and enter the city to check things out for themselves? Then, after confirming the truth of the announcement, they returned home glorifying and praising God for all they had heard and seen (2:20, NRSV). By witnessing for themselves the birth of the Lord, the shepherds learned to praise God. Similarly, as we stand at the threshold of this holiest week of our year, and as we hear the words shouted by the disciples on the outskirts of Jerusalem, may we be moved to follow the Lord into the Holy City, where he will be condemned to death, so as to bring the whole of creation to new birth. And as we meditate on the Lord’s Passion, may we again learn to sing the praises of God. Not just as individuals, but also as Church. Not just in words, but also through our very lives…
(At the Ambo:) My dear friends, as we know, according to St Ignatius of Loyola, the patron of our parish, the whole purpose of human existence is to praise, reverence and serve God (SpEx, 23). And yet, doesn’t life often make it difficult for us to do this? Whether it’s due to a personal setback or a family crisis, the stress of daily living or the depressing darkness that enshrouds our passing world, don’t we sometimes feel as though our hearts are simply too burdened or broken to bear the song of praise? Isn’t this what we see in the gospel?
As we heard earlier, St Luke’s account of Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem begins with the Lord’s disciples shouting the praises of God. And yet, as the terrible events of Jesus’ Passion unfold, as the darkness deepens, doesn’t it become more difficult to keep on praising? The gospel presents us with various examples of those who fail to praise. First being those who do the opposite. Those who show animosity instead. We see this in Judas who, for reasons known only to himself, decides to betray his Master and friend. Choosing to side with the Lord’s enemies. We see it also in the crowd before Pilate, who let themselves be manipulated into favouring a convicted murderer over a clearly innocent man.
Apart from animosity, there are also those who fall into apathy, who fail to show compassion for the Lord. Such as the disciples at the Last Supper, who distract themselves by arguing over who is the greatest. And who later, at the Mount of Olives, fail to heed the Lord’s advice to pray not to be put to the test. Choosing instead to numb themselves by falling asleep out of sheer grief. This is also the path chosen by Pilate, whose moral cowardice prevents him from doing the right thing. As well as Herod, whose narcissism keeps him trapped in his own selfish concerns. Then there are also those who go to the opposite extreme, indulging not in apathy but in activism. Isn’t this the initial experience of Peter? Faced with the Lord’s Passion, he immediately goes into problem-solving mode. Attempting to take control of the situation, relying only on his own resources. Lacking the humility to recognise just how woefully inadequate these are.
In contrast, it is those who somehow choose to associate themselves with Jesus, even as he suffers, who are eventually able to move in the right direction. Such as the women who had accompanied him from Galilee, and who will later receive the angelic announcement of the Lord’s Resurrection. Other examples include the good thief, who gains for himself a place in paradise at the last possible moment. And the spectators at the Crucifixion, who likely came only to be entertained, but found themselves going home beating their breasts. As well as the centurion who, after witnessing Jesus breathe his last, ends up giving praise to God.
What do we see in all this if not the truth of what the other readings tell us? That the ability to praise God is itself a gift from God. For it is God who gives us a disciple’s tongue. And it is by gazing unflinchingly at the utter humiliation of Christ, that we learn to acclaim him as Lord, to the glory of God the Father. And isn’t this our hope for Holy Week? That by accompanying the Lord spiritually, as he goes to his Passion, we too may receive the grace to keep associating ourselves with him through thick and thin. And to truly praise, reverence and serve God through him, even in the darkest of times. Not just as individuals but also as Church. Not just with our words, but also with our very lives.
Sisters and brothers, what can we do to help one another persevere in doing this in the week ahead and beyond?
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