Procession: Lk 19:28-40
Readings: Is 50:4-7; Ps 22; Phil 2:6-11; Lk 22:14-23,56
Finishing the Race
Dear friends, today is Palm Sunday, also known as Passion Sunday. On this day, commemorate the events of Jesus’ triumphant entry into the city of Jerusalem. Many Jews, who had hoped for a messiah-king who would liberate them from the occupying Roman authorities, rejoiced and sang songs of praise as Jesus entered the Holy City. Palm Sunday also marks the beginning of Holy Week, the week that concludes the Lenten Period.
Jesus spent about three years preparing himself for this week of passion. He also prepared a group of disciples called apostles to continue his mission. Though they did not understand many things, he prepared them anyway. They would understand later when Jesus would resurrect from the dead.
Jesus knew that many prophets before him had been killed in Jerusalem. He also knew that the Jews had resolved to kill him this time after many failed attempts to stop him. They had even placed a price on his head. He knew that he would not return to Galilee alive. However, he made the hard decision to accomplish the mission he had started and for which he came to the world. Though his choice of transport to enter the great city was a colt instead of a horse, the Jews overlooked its significance, went on singing Hosanna to the king, and laid their garments and branches on his way. They were just a hysterical crowd like the ones we witness in political rallies. This same crowd that is today singing Hosanna will later yell, “Crucify him, crucify him”. Isn’t this what is happening in our society? The very people who sing your praises are the first to condemn you when you fail to please them.
Prophet Isaiah tells us that, like a sheep being led to the slaughterhouse, Jesus embraced the cup he had to drink in humility and obedience to the Father. He did not invoke his equality with God even during the most horrifying moment of his passion. He knew that the price was high, but the gains were eternal. He did not use his power to fight back.
Today, the Gospel reading is long, but we can focus on a few characters for our reflection. First is Judas, whose greed for money made him betray his master. On one hand, maybe Judas had convinced himself that the Jews would not be able to arrest Jesus after seeing the crowd that was following him. On the other hand, he thought that Jesus would perform a miracle and send all the Jews flying over the trees if they attempted to arrest him. Therefore, he decided to use the opportunity to enrich himself, thinking he was being smart. When he saw that Jesus was not resisting and that the Jews meant to kill him, he went and hanged himself. Sometimes we are like Judas. We betray our friends, thinking that the worst would not happen just to profit from a situation. Are you like Judas Iscariot?
Second is Peter. This one had great self-confidence that made him overlook the greater picture. Thinking that he was helping, he wanted to prevent Jesus from accomplishing his mission. However, when he was confronted with a question of loyalty, he denied even knowing Jesus in the first place. We, too, have friends like these who, without knowing, discourage us from pursuing our mission to the end. They will even deny knowing us to save their own skin.
Third are the crowd. This is like the crowds we have in our society today. They have no specific stand. They change camps all the time. Many politicians have mistaken the crowds for supporters. Only to be disappointed during the ballot. In our lives, too, we have crowds of people who sing praises to us. Let us not be deceived into thinking that they support our aspirations. The crowd sways with the wind and has no specific creed. They are easily manipulated to do terrible things. We have many cases of mob justice in our society today.
Fourth is Pilate. This one was a good governor who believed in the rule of law. He asked for Jesus so that he could interrogate him, and because he could not find any wrong with him, he was ready to release him. However, the Jews knew his weakness, and so they used it against him. They threatened to report him to Caesar. He was not ready to sacrifice his position for justice, just like many of us. We allow innocent people to be crucified because we do not want to jeopardize our positions. We deny knowing the truth because we want to keep our jobs. Do you remember the last time you did such a thing?
Finally Jesus. The suffering that Jesus went through was enough to make him give up his mission. He had a choice to abandon this moment just as the devil had tempted him to do at the very beginning. However, he did not yield to pressure and suffering. His secret was simple: “focusing on the ultimate end”. Jesus was convinced that the plan of God would end well and that it was worth all the suffering. All we need to emerge victorious in our mission is neither approval from people nor a cheering crowd, but rather our conviction that the end will be rewarding. We need to believe in God’s plan for us. Do you?
The last lesson that Jesus taught us as he died on the cross is that we need to be very careful when we reach the breaking point after all the suffering. During that time, the is a great risk of losing all the gains. This is what the Jews were pushing him to do. Instead of cursing the people who put him on the cross for nothing, Jesus forgave them. This is what crowned his sacrifice that brought salvation for all. We must also resist the urge for revenge. Revenge only makes us feel good for a moment. However, if we pau others evil unto evil, we are just like them. Are you able to fight the urge for revenge when people wrong you?
Dear friend, let the reflection upon the passion of Christ help us to embrace our own crosses to the end. Let’s persevere to the end and make good out of even the most difficult moments of our lives.
Have a blessed Sunday.
Fr. Lawrence Muthee, SVD
SVD JAMBO KENTAN 