Palm/ Passion Sunday (A)

 Palm/Passion Sunday (A)

 [Mt 21:1-11] + [Mt 26:14 - 27:66]

02.04.2023

Jesus’ Triumphal Entry into Jerusalem, and His Passion and Death

Readings: (1) Is 50:4-7 (2) Phil 2:6-11

1.  Theme in brief:

Our life’s triumph and passion

2.   Focus Statement

Today’s two-in-one liturgy of Palm and Passion Sunday presents to us two contradictory aspects of Jesus’ ministry as well as our own lives: his moments of triumph and pain, of glory and suffering of the kind he underwent – utter loneliness, total rejection, betrayal, humiliation, physical and mental agony and a horrible death.

3.  Explanation of the text

Here are some of the salient features of Matthew’s narrative of Jesus’ passion in which we can very well identify our own human condition as well as the condition of so many other people in the world:

(1) Jesus’ mental agony as he prays at Gethsemane during which he feels mentally broken, “agitated” and “deeply grieved” with sorrow “even to death” with the thought of all the suffering he will have to undergo (26:37-38);

(2)  his initial wish that if possible his Father could take away the cup of suffering from him, but later his obedient submission to God’s will that he suffer and die with the words, “Not what I want but what you want” (26:39), while his disciples fail to comfort him as they  fall asleep (26:40);

(3) his betrayal by Judas, one of his own disciples with a kiss, out of greed for money (26:49 &15), but whom he addresses as “friend” (26:50);

(4) his desertion (abandonment) by his own disciples at the time of crisis (26:31);

(5) his mock trial and sentencing to death by the Sanhedrin (that is, Jewish religious court) on fictitious charges that he wanted to destroy the temple (26:61) and was guilty of blasphemy (26:65);

(6) Peter's dramatic  and pathetic denial that he ever knew Jesus by cursing and swearing an oath (26:74) due to his cowardice when he comes under pressure from servant-girls and bystanders;

(7) Judas’ suicide by hanging himself after realizing his sin of “betraying innocent blood” (27:4), and the scruple of chief priests and the elders not to take the blood money either for themselves or for the temple’s treasury (27:6);

(8) the consistent manipulation of the Roman Governor (Pilate) by chief priests and the elders to get Jesus sentenced to death, again under fabricated or misinterpreted charges;

(9)  Pilate’s finding him innocent which was further confirmed by a dream of his wife (27:19);

(10) Pilate’s plan to release him by offering the crowd an alternative – a notorious prisoner called Barabbas which eventually backfired (27:16-17 & 21);

(11) the crowd’s demand for crucifixion (27:23) and Pilate’s decision to allow it under pressure from the crowd and fear of a riot breaking out (27:24 &26);

(12) humiliation and insults done to Jesus by stripping his clothes and giving him a mock robe, crown of thorns and sceptre (reed) in his hand, spitting on him, striking him on the head with that reed and crucifying him in the midst of two bandits (27:28-35 & 38);

(13) ridicule and insults by passers-by, chief priests, scribes and elders as well as by the bandits on his sides (27:39-44);

(14) his feelings of being forsaken not only by all near and dear ones but even by God himself (27:46) and his death with a loud voice (27:50).

More than other evangelists, Matthew cites the fulfilment of a series of OT prophecies and sayings throughout his passion narrative. For him the passion is a route planned and willed by God to fulfil his saving mission for which he was born (Mt 1:21) and was faithful to the end.

4.  Application to life

Today’s two-in-one liturgy of Palm and Passion Sunday presents to us two contradictory aspects of our lives: joys and sorrows, triumph and pain. The two gospel readings – first one about Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem (21:1-11) and the second one about his agonizing passion (26:14 – 27:66) are two sides of the same ‘coin’ (or life). We have our moments of joy, triumph and victory: when we are successful and elated; we are well settled in life; everything sails smoothly; the winds blow certainly in our favour; we get what we desire; our wishes are fulfilled; our jobs are secure; people close to us love us to our heart’s content; and our good health is our greatest wealth. There are also times when people acclaim, applaud, praise, honour and encourage us. This is like singing hosannas to us as people did to Jesus on the road to Jerusalem.

Then there is the other side of the coin – our moments of sorrows and agonizing passion. There are times when we go through what Jesus went through in Jerusalem: betrayal, denial, indifference, mockery, loneliness, rejection, false accusation, unjust treatment, insults, humiliation, mental and physical agony, torture and shameful death as described in the explanation of the passion narrative above. What a consolation and encouragement to know that Jesus bore all the suffering and evil which we human beings undergo and to believe that he is with us whenever these things happen to us.

 

All the salient features of Matthew’s passion narrative enumerated above are a part of our lives and the lives of so many people in the world around us, such as – the mental agony and agitation we undergo in moments of crisis; the struggle we face while accepting suffering or trials and submitting ourselves to God’s will; the betrayal of a spouse due to infidelity or divorce; the loneliness faced by married partners due to clash of interests or separation, by the sick and the aged who have nobody to take care of them, by the priests and religious who feel sometimes betrayed by the same people whom they serve, by young people who sometimes feel betrayed by those whom they love; the greed of people for money (like Judas) which leads to overexploitation of natural resources and corruption in public places; the desertion of friends and sometimes even by one’s own children during sickness, calamity and old age; unjust trial by neighbours, friends and colleagues on suspicious and fictitious charges; denial of justice and fair treatment by opponents, friends and even family members; unjust treatment and victimization by some people under pressure from the public or pressure groups; manipulation of the authorities by people of vested interests for their advantage; persecution of the innocent people for no fault of theirs; allowing the innocent to suffer due to fear of one’s own position and under public pressure; undergoing humiliation, public ridicule and insults for standing firm on moral principles or for taking the side of the powerless (especially by honest people in public life); and the agony of feeling abandoned or forsaken by one’s own near and dear ones and sometimes even by God in times of suffering and adversity.

Who among us has not experienced at least one of the above-mentioned facts either in one’s own life or in the life of one’s near and dear ones or friends and neighbours? Jesus took upon himself our human condition in every respect. Therefore, as St. Paul says, today we are “bending our knees,” “confessing with our tongues” and praising the holy name of Jesus “above every name” (cf. Phil 2:9-11). We are singing hosanna to him with palm branches in our hands because he walks with us not only in our happy journey but also in our sorrowful journey to ‘Jerusalem.’ Yes, we too have our ‘Palm Sundays’ and ‘Passion Sundays.’ That is why Jesus becomes a source of life to be lived here and hereafter for all who obey and follow him (cf. Heb 5:9).

Today’s two-in-one liturgy is applicable to our life in another way also. The two parts of the liturgy represent our own faithfulness to Christ and his values on the one hand and unfaithfulness on the other hand. On the one hand we sing “Glory to God in the highest” and “Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord; hosanna in the highest” (21:9) in prayer and worship, but on the other hand there are moments when we have been unfaithful and disobedient disciples by living a life unworthy of our Christian vocation. We have lived a life of worldliness or worldly ways, opposed to the way of Christ we promised to live at baptism.  The world shuns the way of the cross and proposes the way of vanity, pride, achievement, power and wealth as the only things that matter. In spite of allurements of the world, we are inspired by the example of so many of our ordinary Christian brothers and sisters who remain faithful to Christ, and make sacrifices to serve the sick, the disabled, the needy quietly and silently. There are believers in various parts of the world who put their lives at risk for the sake of their faith and undergo persecution. They endure terrible discrimination and daily intimidation because of their faith.

At the same time, today’s liturgy reminds us about the other side of the coin, that is, moments of our unfaithfulness to the Lord. It is easy to be part of the crowd during important liturgical celebrations like this…. The same Peter who said he is willing to die denied him a few hours later. The same crowd who shouted “Hosanna to the Son of David” (21:9) on the way to Jerusalem might have shouted “crucify him, crucify him.” Though we attend church and say our prayers, there are moments when we ‘crucify’ Jesus in real life by living a life contrary to his teachings and example. In us also we notice traces of the bad character of various personalities in the passion narrative. For instance, there are times when we condemn and harshly judge the innocent like Pilate; deny Jesus by our evil or corrupt ways like Peter; betray him for personal gains and selfish purposes like Judas; desert him by living a life of alienation from him and totally rejecting his teachings like the disciples; etc.

Today’s procession by holding palm branches in our hands is a sign that we are willing to walk with Jesus in both his passion and in his triumph. Though the word ‘passion’ here refers to Jesus’ suffering, in English language it also means a strong feeling or commitment for something. Jesus had so much passion for life, truth, justice and service to the needy that he had to pay the price of his Passion, and sacrifice his life for these values by dying a shameful death. If we try to imitate the same passion which he had, it may also lead us to our own ‘passion’ and cross of opposition, criticism, insult, rejection, or even fear of suspension from job, threat to life, etc. The question is whether we are willing to take up these crosses and walk with him to ‘Jerusalem,’ or evade these crosses totally by taking a comfortable position. Jesus went knowingly to Jerusalem to suffer and die. Maybe we do not want to go where we know there will be suffering and crosses.

5.  Response to God's Word

How do we respond in faith to the above-mentioned predicament and situations of our lives faced by Jesus during his passion: positively or negatively; with faith or doubt in God’s goodness? What are the unchristian and ungodly ways by which we ‘crucify’ our Lord again and again? Does Jesus’ powerful example and identification in every human condition become a source of grace and strength for us? Do we have a passion for life, truth, justice and service to the needy as Jesus had? Are we willing to take up the cross of opposition, criticism, insult, rejection and walk with him to ‘Jerusalem?’ Are we faithful to our divinely ordained mission as Jesus was, and are we ready to fulfil it till the end?

6.  A prayer

Blessed are you, Jesus, who come in the name of the Lord God. Hosanna to you. Though you were in the form of God, you did not cling to your heavenly position, but emptied yourself to become one like us in every respect, even to humiliating and shameful death on a cross. Be a source of powerful example, grace and strength for us when we have to face what you faced in your passion. Amen.