April
9, 2017
Palm
Sunday
Isaiah
50:4-7; Psalm 22; Phil 2:6-11; Matthew 26:14—27:66 or Matthew 27:11–54
When a new movie
is about to be shown in cinemas, producers advertise the movie by making sure
that the preview or movie trailer is well done. If the preview can capture the
whole substance of the movie within 2 to 3 minutes then it is good.
My brothers and
sisters, our readings this Palm Sunday can be likened to a movie trailer because
they give us a preview of the events that will take place, this Holy Week. If
we will compare it to a movie, perhaps this is a movie that we are all familiar
with. Every year the Church does not get tired of repeating its observance of Holy
Week. What is the point of repeating annually the story of how Jesus suffered
died and rose again from the dead? As we begin the observance of Holy Week with
Palm Sunday, let us reflect on this in 3
points:
IN
LOCAL PARLANCE, WE CALL HOLY WEEK AS “MAHAL NA ARAW” WHICH LITERALLY MEANS
COSTLY DAY. “Mahal” does not, of course, mean that for this week, the prices of
basic commodities, gasoline, food and electricity will go up. No. We call this
“mahal na araw” because God saved us at a very costly price. The price is none
other than the life of an innocent man in the person of Jesus. This tells us
how serious God is for our salvation. But do we take this seriously? For many
people Holy week signals a long grand vacation from work and school. This week
is not called “vacation week”, “friendship week” or “rest week.” It is called
“Holy Week.” Let us therefore make this week holy by making time to go to
Church, reflect, pray and meditate on the passion of Jesus.
WHAT
MAKES THIS WEEK HOLY IS THE PASSION OF JESUS. Palm
Sunday is also called Passion Sunday. The word passion refers to the suffering of
Jesus. Human experience tells us that we all want to avoid suffering. We want a
life free from pain and sorrow. But with Jesus it is different. He entered Jerusalem
to face suffering. He entered Jerusalem to be ridiculed, beaten and humiliated.
What motivated Jesus to face suffering and not avoid it? If we look at it
closely, we will discover that Jesus was able to embrace suffering because of His
DEEP trust and obedience in God. Look at what deep trust in God can do in the
face of suffering. The suffering of Jesus is not a suffering because of stubbornness
and carelessness. It is a suffering of someone who obeys and trusts God the
Father. Without trust, Jesus might have run away from Jerusalem. Perhaps this is something we can learn from
Jesus. When we find ourselves in the human experience of suffering, instead of
magnifying more our sufferings, let us magnify more the Lord, let us magnify
more our trust in Him so that like Jesus we may find consolation that God’s
help will never abandon us.
THE
PASSION OF JESUS REVEALS HIS LOVE FOR US. The word passion
can also mean intense desire or enthusiasm. The determination of Jesus to go to
Jerusalem, face suffering and death reveals His love for us. Jesus knew that love
is not a bed of roses. And because He is willing to love, he is willing to do anything,
he is willing to suffer and die in order that God’s plan for salvation might be
fulfilled. This is the passion, this is the determination of Jesus: to save us,
and to bring us back to God.
My brothers and sisters, as we enter Holy Week this Palm Sunday, we see how determined, how passionate Jesus is to go to Jerusalem, face His suffering and His death. This is the costly price that brought us salvation. May we also be filled with passion and enthusiasm to make this week “holy” by making time to reflect, pray and meditate on the passion of Jesus. Amen.
My brothers and sisters, as we enter Holy Week this Palm Sunday, we see how determined, how passionate Jesus is to go to Jerusalem, face His suffering and His death. This is the costly price that brought us salvation. May we also be filled with passion and enthusiasm to make this week “holy” by making time to reflect, pray and meditate on the passion of Jesus. Amen.
