“Palm Sunday of the Lord’s Passion.”
My dear brothers and sisters in Jesus Christ,
Today with this Palm Sunday of our Lord’s Passion we begin the Holy week. General feeling is that a person’s last few days and death is very special to those who love him/her, and the deeper the love the more precious his/her life and death are to their loved ones left behind.
It is this same general feeling that explains to us why this week is so special — so unique — to the followers of Jesus Christ, for in this week, we recall the last days, the suffering, death and resurrection of our Lord and God, Jesus Christ.
"The holiest week of the year begins today. But the world does not stop. Everything goes on — the regular TV programs, the regular work schedule, income tax … So, if I want this to be a ‘holy week,’ what do I do? I decide. It’s all up to us."
The man on the cross is not there to scare little boys but to show them how much he loves us. He is not there to show them what would happen to them if they misbehaved; he is there to show them that he has already paid the penalty for our sins. He is not dying on the cross for what he has done but for what you and I have done; because he loves us. He died for us.
You know the story of little Johnny who was failing all his exams in the public school until his parents decided to send him to a Catholic school. At the end of the year Johnny came out on top of the class. When his parents asked him what made him change so dramatically Johnny replied, “You see, the moment I walked into that new school and saw that guy hanging on the cross, I knew that the people here were damn serious; so I decided not to take any chances.”
Today in our Gospel we see our Lord traveling on a donkey. Max Lucado reminds us that each of us has got a donkey that the Lord needs. Here is his reflection on using our donkey for the service of the Lord: Sometimes I get the impression that God wants me to give him something and sometimes I don't give it because I don't know for sure, and then I feel bad because I've missed my chance. Other times I know he wants something but I don't give it because I'm too selfish. And other times, too few times, I hear him and I obey him and feel honored that a gift of mine would be used to carry Jesus to another place. All of us have a donkey.
No matter how unknown a person is, he or she can still play a crucial role in the unfolding of God's plan. The Lord needs each one of us as he needed the unnamed owner of the donkey in the reading. Each of us has got a donkey that the Lord needs. But don’t boast after giving your donkey to Jesus. It’s not ours it belongs to Him who gave us.
There is a story told of a donkey, which took a majestic walk on the streets of Jerusalem just after the Palm Sunday. The donkey expected that the people would bow before him, spread cloths on the way and shout aloud ‘Hosanna o the king…’ But to its surprise no one turned, instead they started throwing stones at the donkey which made unnecessary appearance on the streets. Then, it seems after some time, after running away from the people, the donkey sat in a lonely place and thought people respected me yesterday not because of my worth, but because Jesus was mounting on me, it is respect to Jesus not to me, or when I am with Jesus I may gain importance, away from Him I am actually nothing.
Today we have heard the passion narrative. What is the first letter of God's alphabet?" "It is the cross." Our Holy Father stated that when he addressed some fifty thousand young people in Rome. "The Cross is the first letter of God's alphabet and it is written in the life of each person." God’s love is total and absolute. He lived, He suffered and He died for us. He rose up to new life which He now offers to share with us.
After hearing this Passion narratives there arises a question- a tremendous question. Why did Jesus allow himself to suffer death by crucifixion?
Let us try to answer that question with three main answers.
First, Jesus wanted his death to be a sign. He wanted it to say, in a dramatic way, what he told his disciples so often during His life: No one has greater love than this, to lay down one’s life for one’s friends”(john 15:13)
Second, Jesus wanted his death to be an invitation. He wanted to invite us to do what he told his Disciples to do so often during His life: “Love one another as I love you.”(John 15:12)
Finally, Jesus wanted his death to be a revelation. Again, he wanted to tell us what he told his Disciples so often during His life, that love entails suffering:”Whoever wishes to come after me must deny himself, take up his cross and follow me”.(Mark 8:34)
And so the crucifixion of Jesus makes three important statements. First, it is a sign of Jesus’ love for us. Second, it’s an invitation for us to love as Jesus loved. And finally, it’s a revelation that love entails suffering.
So my dear brothers and sisters let us end our reflection by paraphrasing a familiar prayer. Pray along with me in silence:
“Lord, teach us to love. Teach us to love others as you love us. “Teach us to love and not to keep score; teach us to love and not to heed the pain; teach us to love and not to insist on an equal return; teach us to love and not to ask for any special reward, except to know that we are doing your will.”
My dear brothers and sisters in Jesus Christ,
Today with this Palm Sunday of our Lord’s Passion we begin the Holy week. General feeling is that a person’s last few days and death is very special to those who love him/her, and the deeper the love the more precious his/her life and death are to their loved ones left behind.
It is this same general feeling that explains to us why this week is so special — so unique — to the followers of Jesus Christ, for in this week, we recall the last days, the suffering, death and resurrection of our Lord and God, Jesus Christ.
"The holiest week of the year begins today. But the world does not stop. Everything goes on — the regular TV programs, the regular work schedule, income tax … So, if I want this to be a ‘holy week,’ what do I do? I decide. It’s all up to us."
The man on the cross is not there to scare little boys but to show them how much he loves us. He is not there to show them what would happen to them if they misbehaved; he is there to show them that he has already paid the penalty for our sins. He is not dying on the cross for what he has done but for what you and I have done; because he loves us. He died for us.
You know the story of little Johnny who was failing all his exams in the public school until his parents decided to send him to a Catholic school. At the end of the year Johnny came out on top of the class. When his parents asked him what made him change so dramatically Johnny replied, “You see, the moment I walked into that new school and saw that guy hanging on the cross, I knew that the people here were damn serious; so I decided not to take any chances.”
Today in our Gospel we see our Lord traveling on a donkey. Max Lucado reminds us that each of us has got a donkey that the Lord needs. Here is his reflection on using our donkey for the service of the Lord: Sometimes I get the impression that God wants me to give him something and sometimes I don't give it because I don't know for sure, and then I feel bad because I've missed my chance. Other times I know he wants something but I don't give it because I'm too selfish. And other times, too few times, I hear him and I obey him and feel honored that a gift of mine would be used to carry Jesus to another place. All of us have a donkey.
No matter how unknown a person is, he or she can still play a crucial role in the unfolding of God's plan. The Lord needs each one of us as he needed the unnamed owner of the donkey in the reading. Each of us has got a donkey that the Lord needs. But don’t boast after giving your donkey to Jesus. It’s not ours it belongs to Him who gave us.
There is a story told of a donkey, which took a majestic walk on the streets of Jerusalem just after the Palm Sunday. The donkey expected that the people would bow before him, spread cloths on the way and shout aloud ‘Hosanna o the king…’ But to its surprise no one turned, instead they started throwing stones at the donkey which made unnecessary appearance on the streets. Then, it seems after some time, after running away from the people, the donkey sat in a lonely place and thought people respected me yesterday not because of my worth, but because Jesus was mounting on me, it is respect to Jesus not to me, or when I am with Jesus I may gain importance, away from Him I am actually nothing.
Today we have heard the passion narrative. What is the first letter of God's alphabet?" "It is the cross." Our Holy Father stated that when he addressed some fifty thousand young people in Rome. "The Cross is the first letter of God's alphabet and it is written in the life of each person." God’s love is total and absolute. He lived, He suffered and He died for us. He rose up to new life which He now offers to share with us.
After hearing this Passion narratives there arises a question- a tremendous question. Why did Jesus allow himself to suffer death by crucifixion?
Let us try to answer that question with three main answers.
First, Jesus wanted his death to be a sign. He wanted it to say, in a dramatic way, what he told his disciples so often during His life: No one has greater love than this, to lay down one’s life for one’s friends”(john 15:13)
Second, Jesus wanted his death to be an invitation. He wanted to invite us to do what he told his Disciples to do so often during His life: “Love one another as I love you.”(John 15:12)
Finally, Jesus wanted his death to be a revelation. Again, he wanted to tell us what he told his Disciples so often during His life, that love entails suffering:”Whoever wishes to come after me must deny himself, take up his cross and follow me”.(Mark 8:34)
And so the crucifixion of Jesus makes three important statements. First, it is a sign of Jesus’ love for us. Second, it’s an invitation for us to love as Jesus loved. And finally, it’s a revelation that love entails suffering.
So my dear brothers and sisters let us end our reflection by paraphrasing a familiar prayer. Pray along with me in silence:
“Lord, teach us to love. Teach us to love others as you love us. “Teach us to love and not to keep score; teach us to love and not to heed the pain; teach us to love and not to insist on an equal return; teach us to love and not to ask for any special reward, except to know that we are doing your will.”
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