Palm Sunday of the Lord’s Passion
Scripture:
Mark 11:1-10 or John 12:12-16
Isaiah 50:4-7
Philippians 2:6-11
Mark 14:1-15:47
Reflection:
Todays’ liturgy begins with Christ’s entry into Jerusalem. After 3 years of incredible healings, miracles and raising people from the dead Jesus finally receives well deserved public acknowledgement. “Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest!”Mt 21 The word hosana is of Hebrew origin having roots in the word saves Yahshah (Save) appearing some 206 times in OT.
Jesus comes into Jerusalem riding on a donkey! One would think He would chose to ride a white stallion! I take great consolation after 59 years of being a priest that Jesus chose to use a donkey to ride into the hearts of His people. This is not the last time by any means He used a lowly being to carry Him into the souls of His chosen ones. God does have a wonderful sense of humor!
Jesus some 83 times in NT called Himself “son on man”. The most wonderful thing in the history of the universe is that God in Jesus took on our human nature! Not just a temporary surface appearance but the “Word become flesh”. For all eternity we can experience the warm loving human face of God! At the same experience we in awe contact the Divinity. “And He is the radiance of His glory and the exact representation of His nature, and upholds all things by the word of His power.” Heb 1:3
The rest of the Palm Sunday liturgy is treats of the sufferings of Christ. “And being found in human form, he humbled himself by becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.” Phil 2:8 God could not suffer till His incarnation in Jesus. His ultimate act of love for us is the Passion of Christ. Now to touch our hard hearts God experienced our excruciating pain in the sufferings of His Son Jesus. “Greater love than this no man can have,”
One of the most remarkable lines in the NT is: “Just as the Father has loved Me, I have also loved you; abide in My love.” John 15:9 In the Palm Sunday Eucharist this whole mystery of God’s love is contained and experienced in an extraordinary way! Jesus said: “This is My Body, the one being given for you” Lk 22:19 “The Eucharist is indelibly marked by the event of the Lord’s passion and death, of which it is not only a reminder but the sacramental re-presentation. It is the sacrifice of the Cross perpetuated down the ages”. Sacrosanctum Concilium, 47
Fr. Bob Weiss, C.P. preaches Parish Missions and is a member of the Passionist Community in Louisville, Kentucky.