Palm Sunday
Sat, 09 Apr 22 Lectio Divina - Year C
Luke 19: 28-40, Isaiah 50: 4-7 , Philippians 2: 6-11, Luke 22: 14- 23:56
This Sunday the universal Church celebrates Palm or Passion Sunday. The reading of the Gospel at the beginning of Mass sets the tone for the week ahead. We are invited to look at the various characters who appear in the story. But our focus should be on Jesus and how he relates to each one of them as his Passion approaches. Jesus rides triumphantly into Jerusalem. He is stepping into dangerous territory and must know that his adversaries will be looking to condemn him. Going to Jerusalem was probably not the sensible thing to do but Jesus knew too that he had to be faithful to the mission that God had given him.
The readings for Palm Sunday Year C, tell of the death of Jesus Christ, who showed us the true meaning of love and the nature of God. Palm Sunday is a tale of two crowds. One waves palm branches at the city gates and shouts “Hosannas” in welcome and homage to their prophet, their warrior, their hero. The other shake their fists in Pilate’s courtyard and shouts, “Crucify him!” in condemnation of the one accused of being a criminal, a blasphemer, a traitor. Two crowds – one voice: OURS. We are the CROWD and how easily we turn. How quickly we pivot from faithful to faithless … from belief to doubt … from being disciples to being betrayers.
Procession: “Blessed is the king who comes in the name of the Lord. Peace in heaven and glory in the highest.” (Luke 19: 28-40). The reading for the procession of the palms recounts how Jesus was greeted by crowds while entering Jerusalem mounted on a donkey and accompanied by a multitude of disciples. Jesus enters Jerusalem as a messianic king, humble, peaceful, with a servant’s attitude, not as a temporal king using and abusing his power. The cross is the throne where He reigns from, by loving and forgiving. In today’s Gospel, we see two aspects that are unique to Lukan narratives: the Pharisee's displeasure at the disciple’s song of praise and Jesus's response to it. Luke makes disciples the primary executives of this event. The general crowd has little role to play in it. After having secured the colt and put Jesus on it, the disciples started the procession and burst out in a song of praise, proclaiming “Blessed is the king who comes in the name of the Lord. Peace in heaven and glory in the highest.
First Reading –: Isaiah 50: 4-7 “The Lord GOD is my help, therefore I am not disgraced; I have set my face like flint, knowing that I shall not be put to shame.” The first reading tells how we will be saved by a servant. Here is a glimpse of what life on earth was like for Jesus. He daily depended on God. He submitted to the humiliation and suffering of the cross. He trusted that he would not be put to shame, despite the mockery. He was talking about the shame of trusting in God in vain. He knew his trust would be vindicated, that God would help him each step of the way. It is this kind of relationship with God that Jesus opened up for us. He made the way, so we too can trust God each step of the way.
The reality of suffering is one of the most undeniable facts. Yet despite the ubiquity of suffering, each instance is so unique that it evades easy categorization and pat answers. This paradox between the universality and particularity of suffering is heightened during Lent and especially Passion Week when we are confronted with the suffering of Jesus. His suffering is unique and yet somehow provides healing for all those who suffer. It is especially uncomfortable to think that as followers of Jesus we will suffer too. Does this simply glorify suffering?
This pericope provides a powerful image of how the servant of God bears suffering. The Church has long seen multiple tensions at work in the Suffering Servant songs. On the one hand, the immediate context focuses on Israel’s need for redemption and a prophet who will bear their punishment. On the other hand, the prophet claims to be sinless and to have never disobeyed God (v. 5)—which led many in the early Church to conclude this was no ordinary prophet but the anticipation of Jesus, who alone is sinless.
Second Reading –: Philippians 2: 6-11 “Rather, he emptied himself, taking the form of a slave, coming in human likeness; and found human in appearance, he humbled himself, becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.” The second reading speaks of how Jesus was obedient to the Father.
Paul, whose knowledge of Jesus came through revelation and constant prayer, is here trying to put words to what he has learned. They are Greek words, charged with a depth that repays meditation. Jesus was in the form, meaning that his inmost nature was divine. But he emptied himself, and took on a human; he was not just wearing a human mask, but entering our humanity in all its fullness and sometimes bitterness. As Sartre put it in his Christmas play, Jesus would submit to learning this taste of salt at the bottom of our mouths when the whole world abandons us. This week we witness the cost for Jesus of that emptying of self.
This is one of the earliest New Testament texts to reveal the divinity of Christ. The hymn can be divided into three parts. The first refers to Christ's humbling Himself by becoming a man. The second is the center of the whole passage and proclaims the extreme to which His humility brought Him: as man He obediently accepted death on the cross. The third part describes His exaltation in glory. Throughout St. Paul is conscious of Jesus' divinity: He exists from all eternity. But he centers his attention on His death on the cross as the supreme example of humility. Christ's humiliation lay not in His becoming a man like us and cloaking the glory of His divinity in His sacred humanity: it brought Him to lead a life of sacrifice and suffering which reached its climax on the cross, where He was stripped of everything He had, like a slave. However, now that He has fulfilled His mission, He is made manifest again, clothed in all the glory that befits His divine nature and which His human nature has merited.
The man-God, Jesus Christ, makes the cross the climax of His earthly life; through it, He enters into His glory as Lord and Messiah. The Crucifixion puts the whole universe on the way to salvation. Jesus Christ gives us a wonderful example of humility and obedience. "We should learn from Jesus' attitude in these trials," "During His life on earth He did not even want the glory that belonged to Him. Though He had the right to be treated as God, He took the form of a servant, a slave (cf. Philippians 2:6-7). And so the Christian knows that all glory is due to God and that he must not use the sublimity and greatness of the Gospel to further his own interests or human ambitions.
"We should learn from Jesus. His attitude in rejecting all human glory is in perfect balance with the greatness of His unique mission as the beloved Son of God who becomes incarnate to save men".
Gospel –: Luke 22: 14- 23:56 “When they came to the place called the Skull, they crucified him and the criminals there, one on his right, the other on his left.” In the gospel, we remember how Jesus suffered and died for each of us so that we could know life.
Throughout Luke's Gospel, we see that Jesus' words and actions proclaim the Kingdom of God. This image continues throughout Luke's passion narrative. Jesus appears to be in total command of events at the Passover meal as he hands over the kingdom to his disciples. He welcomes them to the Passover meal announcing that this will be his last until the Kingdom of God is fulfilled. As throughout Luke's Gospel, however, the disciples show little understanding of this kingdom that Jesus often announces. Following the meal, the disciples argue about who is the greatest. Jesus takes the opportunity to distinguish the meaning of leadership in the Kingdom of God from the forms of leadership seen in the world.
Jesus initiates a conversation with Simon and predicts his denial. Jesus then instructs his disciples to prepare themselves for the events that will follow. His words reveal an awareness of the challenges that all of them will face in the days ahead. As the disciples and Jesus enter the Mount of Olives, Jesus indicates the importance of the disciples' time in prayer, telling them that through prayer they will be able to face the challenges ahead. As he prays, Jesus is tested. In the garden, an angel is sent to strengthen him and prepare him for the events ahead. After this moment, Jesus is again in charge of the events and circumstances.
In Luke's Gospel, Jesus is portrayed as active and vocal throughout his passion. When one of the disciples strikes the high priest's servant, Jesus heals the man, an event reported only in the Gospel of Luke. Jesus stops the disciples' protest against his arrest by noting that this is the “time for the power of darkness.” Jesus engages and responds when brought before the Sanhedrin; his words speak about the “power of God” that will bring about the reign of the Son of Man. When questioned by Pilate, Jesus responds with just one phrase; yet before Herod, Jesus refuses to speak.
When Luke describes the Way of the Cross and Jesus' crucifixion, he calls to our attention many events that are not reported in the other Gospels. Throughout his Gospel, Luke has paid heed to the women who accompanied Jesus. Now, on the road to Calvary, Jesus speaks to the women who walk with him. Only Luke reports Jesus' words of forgiveness spoken from the cross. And only Luke reports the dialogue between Jesus and the good thief. Finally, in contrast with the Gospels of Mark and Matthew, Luke reports no words of abandonment spoken by Jesus on the cross. Instead, Jesus, in full command until his death, commends his spirit to his Father and takes his final breath.
Throughout Holy Week, we will continue to reflect on the events of Jesus' passion and death. As we meditate on the cross, we ask again and anew what it means to make the statement of faith that Jesus, in His obedient suffering and dying, revealed himself to us as God's Son and brought to fulfillment the Kingdom of God.
Where am I in the unfolding drama that begins on Palm Sunday and plays out over Holy Week and which climaxes on Easter?
Where am I as Jesus passes by on the donkey?
Am I one of the crowds shouting out his name?
Am I like Judas in any way?
When have I betrayed others or Jesus?
When like Peter, have I denied knowing Jesus?
Am I like Pilate when I judge and condemn others?
How am I like Simon or Veronica who helps Jesus in his time of need?
Having stood with the crowd shouting out his name and welcoming Jesus, will I stand with the same people spitting out insults as I shout ‘Crucify him! Crucify him!’
As we begin this holiest of weeks, may Jesus be our constant companion. May we enter the mystery of Jesus’ life, death and resurrection with faith and hope.