Palm Sunday of the Passion of the Lord

Today’s readings are rich and abundant and in truth, almost overwhelming. The entirety of humankind’s religious and emotional sensibilities is presented in stark form. We meet good, bad, and confused people. There is the drama of love mixed with hate, friendships betrayed, greed, false accusations, denials, lying, pride, arrogance, tenderness, and compassion.

              The whole range of human emotions come into play in the readings today, evoking connections with those of us who have experienced loss, failure, misunderstanding, injustice, illness, temptation, abandonment, and betrayal, as well as courage in the face of danger and faithfulness in the face of even death. Great religion always responds to the question, “What can you do with your pain?” How does Jesus respond to his pain? Jesus consoles the mourning women, intercedes for the forgiveness of his executioners, and welcomes a repentant criminal into Paradise.

  Today is a special day, the start of Holy Week. All our Lenten practices have been leading up to this week. It is the time for our solemn celebration of the Paschal Mystery—the Lord’s suffering, death, and resurrection. Let us, therefore, enter into the Passion of Jesus in a way that will move us toward genuine conversion and transformation. Let us recognize our own strengths or limitations in the characters of the story and note how Jesus calls them to greater fidelity. Or let us identify with Jesus. He willingly set aside privilege for the sake of others; he remained true to his calling, despite the cost that was exacted; he refused to meet violence with violence. Through it all, Jesus remained tenaciously faithful to God and lovingly open to all others. The readings of this Sunday set these challenges before us.   

            With this in mind, let us follow Jesus on the path of suffering and death. We will rise and sing our hosannas. In this way we profess our faith that in the suffering and death of Jesus, we and all humankind have found salvation and life. Saint Augustine asks, do you wish to rise? Begin by descending. You plan a tower that will pierce the clouds? Lay first the foundation of humility. 

Holy Week truths unfold,

Father William

Fifth Sunday in Lent