Walking with Jesus: Palm Sunday of the Passion of the Lord

For Sunday, April 2, 2023

Isaiah 50:4-7, Philippians 2:6-11, Matthew 26:14~27:66

Palm Sunday: This is the 56th year that I have celebrated this holiest and most sacred season of the year as a Catholic Priest. I have acquired many memories while visiting and being a part of many different churches, parishes and communities of faith. I have witnessed these intimate events of our faith along with the deep faith, hopefulness and life convictions of people who have shared their love of Jesus, His life, teachings, healings, forgiveness, presence, and total giving of Himself. His goal was to return us to God’s plan for salvation for every person. These events and personages have imprinted an indelible mark on the growth of my faith and priesthood. Lord, I am grateful.

Easter is not as much an event as it is a journey: All of the readings return us to God’s plan for our salvation and the importance of coupling this with every created person’s journey to heaven. This always has been God’s plan. Have I cooperated in this plan? We are here today, reading this, going through the solemn liturgical events while saying “why” and “thank You” at the same time. The bottom line here, like the bottom line of everyone’s life, is God. God loves each person. God created each person out of love. God placed each person not haphazardly, but deliberately, at determined times and places in this world to live their life as beings who know they are loved by God and are needed to be examples of His love to others. In experiencing this love, they too can know that they are loved and are important in bringing themselves and others to be with God forever in heaven. We examine God’s plan in the readings today.

The reading from Isaiah aims to persuade the exiles in Babylon that the justice of God works in two ways: to call an end to what is wrong, and to restore and make tangible what has become misleading and twisted. Even though the exiles are a captured people, God now calls them to make His presence known to all. Israel is to serve as a light for the nations. “I, the Lord, have called you for the victory of justice, I have grasped you by the hand; I formed you, and set you as a covenant of the people, a light for the nations.” [Isaiah 42:6] This is from the first of four Servant of the Lord oracles describing a figure who is not well-respected but represents the story of God’s defeat of evil, so that you and I can be rescued from the human condition and the death we see all around us and inside ourselves. This servant portrays the image of Jesus’ death and resurrection where we discover the love of God that leads to true life. Today’s passage is from the third of the Servant songs, depicting a torture victim who, perhaps out of empathy, seeks to encourage not all people but the “weary.” The “servant” carries out the divine purpose, confident of God’s protection and care. Even the harshest display of adversity cannot beat the servant’s resolve. The “servant” encourages us to trust in God’s way, which is salvation for all. Jesus’ suffering shows us how much God loves us and the ultimate hope in God’s plan.

Paul’s passage is an early Christian hymn (Philippians 2:6-11). Though divine, Jesus was obedient to the Father’s total saving plan … which means that He became one of us even to the point of accepting death on a cross. What a total abasement, humiliation, belittlement … it shows the depth and sincerity of God’s love and Jesus’ acceptance of this plan and His love. And the Father has exalted Jesus as Lord of all so “… that at the name of Jesus every knee would bend of those in heaven and on earth, and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.” [Philippians 2:11] Do I — do we — kneel in gratitude for this gift of salvation?

An interesting way to view Matthew’s Passion Gospel is to read the Gospel proclaimed before the procession of Palms, which presents Jesus’ final entry into Jerusalem as a fulfillment of Zechariah’s prophesy: “Exult greatly, O daughter Zion! Shout for joy, O daughter Jerusalem! Behold: Your king is coming to you, a just savior is he, Humble, and riding on a donkey.” [Zechariah 9:9] During the procession we hold palms, waving them as we hear Matthew’s version of this key event. A suggestion:  Concentrate on Jesus entering Jerusalem. Jesus had given instruction to two of his disciples on how to find and procure a donkey and bring it back to Him. Notice how everything works out exactly as Jesus instructed. This shows that Jesus’ entry will be a prophetic action intended to fulfill Zechariah’s prophesy, which predicts the entry of the king and stresses His humility. The crowd is huge and enthusiastic in honoring and praising Jesus. announcing Him as the Davidic messianic king. A secular king would be praised and honored … Jesus’ entry ends in His killing. For Matthew, Jesus’ final entry and the crucifixion are shattering events, begging us to ask the most important question: Who is this? The crowds say, “This is Jesus, the prophet from Nazareth in Galilee.” THIS IS CORRECT but it is INCOMPLETE. This is the Messiah King, promised and predicted from the beginning. This is our God, coming down to you and me to show His love, care and concern, to show how important each of us is, and to proclaim to all and for all that heaven is His plan for all. He shows Love … it is all about Love … and I am to be all about Love. Do I care to show God’s love, or am I concerned only about me?

So I reflect on:

• My life is a journey: I am born … I live … I die. It is not a meaningless trip from nowhere to nothingness. Each person is created in love to be love. I have been created in love to be love. How am I doing? Do I reflect on how important I am to God? Do I let God help me?
• As I look at the times in my life that I have “gone out of myself” to aid, touch and care for others, I see that I am important. Do I continue this reflection, seeing that it is not a meaningless journey but one focused on God’s plan of salvation for all?

Sacred Space 2023 states:

“The word ‘betrayal’ is central in the Passion. It is used five times there. Recall an experience you have had of being betrayed — perhaps you were let down by a friend, or a partner, or perhaps like many Catholics today you feel let down by the Church. How did you react? Did you retaliate, walk away or do your best to forgive?”