Homily (Reflection) for Palm Sunday (A) (05th April, 2020)
on the Gospel
Is 50:4-7;
Ps 21:8-9.17-20.23-24 (R. v.2);
Phil 2:6-11;
Matt 26:14–27:66.
This Sunday opens the Holy Week; the week we celebrate
the mysteries of salvation accomplished by Christ in the last days of his
earthly life, from his messianic entry into Jerusalem, until his blessed
Passion and glorious Resurrection. Holy Week is dedicated to the celebration of
penance. Lent continues until Maundy Thursday.
The Passion we read today reminds me of a woman from a
wealthy family. She fell in love with one man who did not have any serious
means of livelihood. They later got married. As a result, although she had been
duped in the past severally, she introduced her husband to her business with
the intention that she had nothing to fear because the man would see it as his
business and would also do anything possible to see it stand.
All started
well. The man was very happy that he could eat well anytime and anywhere he
wanted. One day, the woman came back from a business trip and the man was
nowhere to be found despite the fact that he knew that she was returning on
that day. At first, she was not much disturbed by his not being around to
welcome her but later became worried when she discovered that his personal
belongings were nowhere to be found. Her neighbours later told her that the man
left more than a week ago after siphoning her bank account to an unknown
destination.
Topic: Lay Not Your Palms.
All that happened
to Jesus were all prophesied by the prophets before his coming, cf. Matt 26:24, Mk 9:12; 14:21, Lk 18:31; 22:22.
Those who interacted with Jesus while here on earth as a man can be divided
into various groups which include – the crowd, his disciples, and the apostles
(the most intimate group) and Judas was one of them. While at the Passover meal
with the twelve (the apostles) he said to them: “Truly, I tell you, one of you
will betray me” (Matt 26:21). This
statement threw them into distress with the exception of the architect of his
betrayal, cf. Matt 26:22, 25. Today’s
Passion narrative reveals among other things that Jesus’ pain was not just from
the fact that he was dying but that he was dying through the instrumentality of
an intimate friend, cf. Ps 55:13.
One day while at
Enugu – Nigeria repairing my car, some young men engaged themselves in a
discussion about the passion of Jesus. Although I was not part of the
discussion but I was too close to pretend that I did not hear everything they said.
They wondered why Judas allowed himself to be used. Each and every one of them
was of the opinion that he would not allow himself to be used. That discussion
caught my attention. And I asked among other questions, ‘Is Jesus still in
agony because of the betrayal of Judas?’ Reflect on this as we move on.
Just as we have
noted, all that happened to Jesus was foretold before his coming. According to
Saint Peter in his first Letter, the essence of Christ’s death is that he might
bring us to God, cf. 1Pt 3:18. The
author of the Letter to the Hebrews put it thus: “But we see Jesus, who for a
little while was made lower than the angels, crowned with glory and honour
because of the suffering of death, so that by the grace of God he might taste
death for everyone” (Heb 2:9). Jesus
came and abolished death and brought life and immortality to light through the
gospel, cf. 2Tim 1:10.
Just as Jesus chose
Judas as his close friend, he has also made us his friends by making known to
us all that he heard from the Father, cf. Jn
15:15. He demonstrated this by dying for us. In the gospel we read, “Greater
love has no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends” (Jn 15:13). Are we now friend’s of God
after Christ’s suffering and death? In the gospel according to John, Jesus
tells us, “You are my friends if you do what I command you” (Jn 15:14). And it is only by being
faithful in trials unto death that one will earn the crown of life Jesus has
prepared for us, cf. Rev 2:10.
Imagine the
pains and psychological trauma the lady we saw in our introductory story went
through not just because her money was siphoned but through whom. Being Jesus’
friends consoles him for Judas’ betrayal. Betraying Him further is more painful
than Judas’ betrayal because it makes nonsense of everything he went through,
cf. Ps 55:13. Sin brought death which Jesus came and saved us from, cf. Jas 1:15. The palms we carry ought to
symbolise the laying down of our desires for Christ’s to triumph. Hence Saint
Paul wrote, “...those who belong to
Christ Jesus have crucified the flesh with its passions and desires” (Gal 5:24, cf. Rom 13:14). Do not see
these palms just like the crowd who
spread their clothes and tree branches on the road shouting “Hosanna to the Son
of David! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the
highest!” because they were the people who also shouted even louder, “Crucify
him, Crucify him” Mk 15:13, 14. Paul
rightly wrote “many … live as enemies of the cross of Christ” (Phil 3:18). What have you to lay –
yourself or your palms?
Bible Readings: Is 41: 1-20; 49: 8-18; Lk 12:13-21; 1Cor 10:23-31;
Col 3:1-17.
Thought for today: Does Christ’s Passion really save you from death? Remember,
desire brings sin and sin brings death, cf. Jas 1:15.
Let us pray:
Jesus, my
Redeemer, give me the grace to live my life always according to your will. May
I never betray you for whatever reason – Amen.
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May God
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