At Mass: Isaiah 50:4-7/ Ps.22/ Philp.2:6-11/ Luke 22:14-23:56
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Fr Galadima Bitrus (OSA)
THE PEACE MARCH THAT JESUS LED
The world has become in many ways a field of blood. Many countries are battling with insurgencies, terrorism and transborder crimes that have risen to the level of war, even as Russia continues to execute a war in Ukraine that is threatening global peace and economic stability, which if not carefully and timely managed, could degenerate into civil tensions and unrests, capable of further aggravating the already fragile situation of many countries.
Today, being Palm Sunday, Christians and Catholics in particular, recall Christ’s march of peace into Jerusalem towards the end of his life: on a mule, being accompanied by disciples who acclaimed him as the Blessed King who comes in the name of the Lord, bringing peace in heaven and glory in the highest heaven (Lk 19:38), as the angels and the heavenly hosts had acclaimed at his birth, “Glory to God in the highest heaven, and on earth peace, goodwill among people” (Lk 2:14).
We commemorate this march today by marching, ourselves, in peace around cities, no longer possible in many places where peace or freedom of public religious expression is no longer guaranteed, for which many will have to restrict their peace march to the Church compound, with the palm or olive branches which symbolize peace, and singing “Hosanna”, which is a plea for salvation, literally meaning “please save”.
Jesus answered this plea by offering himself to carry the burden of humanity’s collective failure on the cross and to die that the rest of us might be saved, a model that may be found only in a parent-leader who would willingly offer themselves to spare their children, if the choice comes down to that, not a leader who will rather sacrifice those under their care, that they might live or simply enhance their fortune and advance their interest.
Thus, in the 1st Reading (Isa 50:4-7), Isaiah’s imagery of a suffering servant is applied to Jesus’ kind of leadership, whereby his mission is understood in terms of speaking encouraging words to the wearied, having a listening ear and an attitude of obedience. This is so unlike what we know of our leaders who often lack empathy and are incapable of offering encouraging words; and hardly listen but rather think they are entitled to be listened to and simply obeyed.
The 2nd Reading (Phil 2:6-11) in fact celebrates Christ as a humble and obedient servant of God and of the people, who emptied himself completely and embraced humanity’s fragility and burden, even to the point of death on the cross. This is in stark contrast with the leaders we have come to know, who far from emptying themselves, are often full of themselves and know only their interest and can’t even cut off a little of their comfort to identify with the suffering of the people they lead, let alone embracing their burden, still less dying on their behalf.
The Gospel today consists of two readings, one from the Lucan account of Jesus’ royal march into the city of Jerusalem (Lk 19:28-40; cf. Mt 21:1-9; Mk 11:1-10 and Jn 12:12-18), which our Palm Sunday procession into the Church liturgically re-enacts, and another from the Lucan account of the passion narrative (Lk 22:14-23:56). In accordance with the spirit of Palm Sunday Liturgy, our meditation focuses on the triumphal march of Jesus into Jerusalem.
The Lucan account of Jesus’ march into the city of Jerusalem follows the passage of Jesus through Jericho, where Zacchaeus, against all the odds of his short stature and his dishonourable status, manages to catch a glimpse of Christ and to attract a life changing encounter with Jesus, leading to grumblings that Jesus had become the guest of a sinner (see Lk 19:1-10).
In this context, Jesus tells the parable of a noble man who went out to acquire royal power but was hated by the citizens of his country. As he was going, he had shared some money among his servants to do business until he returned. And on his return, he shared his royal power with those who had managed well the resources he had entrusted to them while punishing the lazy and unproductive one who knew only how to complain. He also took away the unused resources that he had entrusted to him (see Lk 19:11-27).
After this royal parable, Jesus continued his journey into Jerusalem where he will be accompanied by royal acclamations by some and hated by others. In some way, therefore, this parable prefigured what was to happen to Jesus who had left his country home of Galilee to Jerusalem, where there were among those who accompanied him, a multitude of disciples who proclaimed, “Blessed is the king who comes in the name of the Lord! Peace in heaven and glory in the highest heaven” (Lk 19:38).
But there were also others, described as “some of the Pharisees in the crowd” who were unhappy with the proclamation of Jesus as king. So they said to Jesus, “Teacher, order your disciples to stop” (Lk 19:39), and Jesus answered them, “I tell you, if these were silent, the stones would shout out” (Lk 19:40).
By asking his disciples to just go into the village ahead and untie a mule, and if asked, to simply say, “The Lord needs it”, the evangelist clearly portrays Jesus as a king. What other kind of person could have had that kind of authority?
This is confirmed not only by the royal parable preceding this event but also by the multitude of disciples who proclaimed while Jesus rode on the mule, “Blessed is the king who comes in the name of the Lord!” (Lk 19:38), as well as by the interrogation in the trial before Pilate, where Jesus is accused of perverting the nation and claiming to be an anointed king (see Lk 23:2), leading Pilate to ask him, “Are you the king of the Jews?” (Lk 23:3).
While the mule is often interpreted to be a young donkey, the Greek word used is “Pōlos”, which could refer to “any young animal”; it could be a young donkey or a young horse. There is no question that this was indeed a royal march, as we can find in the case of Solomon in 1 Kgs 1:33-40 and Absalom in 2 Sam 18:9 and Mephibosheth in 2 Sam 19:26. All these royal characters rode on the mule. Furthermore, as Jesus rode along, the people are said to have spread their cloak on the road (Lk 19:36), an action that greeted the proclamation of Jehu as king in 2 Kgs 9:13.
But the march of the king Jesus, was a march of peace. He did not come on chariots and horses, but on a mule, on a young and tender animal. And as he approached the city, Jesus wept over Jerusalem because it had failed to recognize on that day “the things that make for peace”, (see Lk 19:42) and by so doing, opened itself for days of war when the enemies will set up ramparts around her, surround her and hem her on every side, crushing her to the ground and leaving no stone upon another (Lk 19:43-44).
On this day, we are called upon to recognize the things that make for peace and welcome them, so that the fate of Jerusalem is not replicated in our time and place. Jesus wants to march into our lives and be that Blessed King who comes in the name of the Lord, bringing peace in the highest heavens and the lowest earth.
May we open our hearts to his reign and values that he may restore peace in our troubled hearts, peace in our troubled homes, peace in our troubled countries and peace in our troubled world.
Fr. Daniel Evbotokhai
Palm/Passion Sunday
Introduction: Today is Palm Sunday because palms are blessed and carried during a procession. It is a symbolic representation of Christ’s entrance into Jerusalem. Palm is a symbol of victory; it is carried in triumphant procession; either by soldiers, athletics, or victorious warriors. It also depicts peace, victorious death, especially of a martyr and victory over sin. Palm Sunday marks the beginning of the Passion Week or Holy Week. That is, the last seven days of Christ’s earthly ministry. During this week the key events of Christ’s paschal mystery are re-enacted. We are called to relive the emotions with deep spiritual relevance and not as mere routine.
At Procession with palms Luke:19:28-40.
Jesus says to two of his disciples “ Go into the village opposite, where on entering you will find a colt tied, on which no one has every yet sat; untie it and bring it here. If anyone asks you, ‘Why are you untying it?’ You shall say this, ‘The Lord has need of it”’. A colt is a young male donkey under the age of four, God had a purpose for this colt and he brought that purpose to manifestation. From this scene of the trip of Jesus to Jerusalem we have some lessons: 1.No matter our circumstances, like the donkey, we were created for a purpose. 2. Whatever has tied us down (guilt, anxiety, envy, worry, pride, drugs, addictions and pains), we have to take a step to untie ourselves for God to use us. During this period let us ask ourselves “What is it that I need to untie in my life?”
At Mass Luke 22:14-23:56
Homily: In the passion narrative according to Luke we can highlight three basic events: Jesus’ prediction of Judas’ betrayal, His teaching on greatness and His prediction on Peter’s denial. For Judas, our participation in the last supper should help us denounce deceit and betrayal. On greatness, may we come to realize that, the greatness of a man is not in the number of servants he has but in the number of those he serves. For Peter’s denial, let us become truly sorry for our failings.
Holy Week: This is also known as Passion Week. It is described in Matthew chapters 21-27; Mark chapters 11-15; Luke chapters 19-23; and John chapters 12-19. It entails the following:
Day 1: On Holy Sunday, Triumphal Entry on Palm Sunday
Day 2: On Holy Monday, Jesus Clears the Temple
Day 3: On Holy Tuesday, Jesus Goes to the Mount of Olives
Day 4: On Holy Wednesday, resting in Bethany in anticipation of Passover.
Day 5: On Maundy Thursday, Passover and Last Supper
Day 6: On Good Friday Trial, Crucifixion, Death, and Burial
Day 7: On Holy Saturday; Jesus in the Tomb
As we commence the Holy week today, let us make genuine effort to follow Jesus closely so that sharing in his passion we shall also rise with him at the Resurrection morning on Easter Sunday. Amen
LET US PRAY
Almighty ever-living God, who as an example of humility for the human race to follow caused our Savior to take flesh and submit to the Cross, graciously grant that we may heed his lesson of patient suffering and so merit a share in his Resurrection. Who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit, God, for ever and ever. Amen.
Fr. Paul Oredipe
The meaning of Remembrance – The Humble King:*
Before Procession:
Today we remember the triumphal entry of Jesus into Jerusalem to accomplish His paschal mystery. We do not just commemorate this event at the beginning of this Holy Week; rather we try to experience and relive it again, in fact to represent it.
Our procession today should therefore be a reminder to us that we too walk along, indeed, in a procession on the face of the earth, on a journey to our Father’s house. As we hold our palms in our hands let us remember that Christ Himself comes to join us in this pilgrimage of life and faith. We do not go alone. We join Christ to enter joyfully into our heavenly Jerusalem, our happy home. The enthusiastic throng of people gathered in the city for the religious festival were in joyous mood as they spread their cloaks on the road, waved their palm branches in the air and openly proclaimed Jesus as their earthly king.
Our celebration today will only be meaningful if we do this with a devoted spirit and in a grateful acknowledgement of Christ as our only Lord and Saviour. Our songs and shouts of ‘Hosanna to the Son of David’ with the people of Jerusalem should be a resounding acclamation of our lives of faithful service. It is only this can give value and worth to our celebrations today; in fact to all other activities of this week. Although we carry palms in our hands, what the Lord wants us to lay before Him is our lives of faithful and courageous witnesses to his gospel truths and values.
May Christ, the humble and glorious King, accompany us and guide our steps in His ways of peace, truth and justice. And may we arrive safe and sound in our Father’s house, the heavenly Jerusalem, our true and happy home through the same Christ our Lord. Amen.
After the Passion Narrative:
Today we celebrate the triumphal entry of Jesus into Jerusalem – Palm or Passion Sunday as we call it. This triumphal entry at the beginning of this Holy Week emphasizes that the three elements: suffering, death and resurrection, belong together.
Like King David and all kings in His culture, Jesus enters the capital riding on the traditional animal. He enters Jerusalem, “meek and riding on an ass”- donkey – (Zec 9:9).
All the four evangelists relate this tradition as an introduction to Jesus’ passion and cruel death. Why? To teach us that Jesus is indeed the Messiah, though on a higher level than the people thought.
Jesus is sent by God to establish His reign (kingdom) on earth. His impending suffering and death will not thwart this divine plan but must be seen as the means to fulfil it, as will be clearly understood after the resurrection. “Did not the Messiah have to undergo all this so as to enter into his glory?” (Lk. 24:26).
Participating in today’s celebration and the rest of this Holy Week, we should keep in mind that suffering, pain, anddeath are also mysteriously part of our passage to a glorious life with our Lord.
What is the deeper meaning behind the way Jesus entered Jerusalem and the way the people greeted Him? The key to the answer lies in the animal used by Jesus. The donkey was an animal of peace, as opposed to the horse, which was an animal of war – carrying soldiers into battle. A king or a general would never be seen on a donkey. He would want to show how powerful he was by riding on the best horse available.
The action of Jesus riding into Jerusalem on a donkey, an animal of peace, reveals that the Messiah is not going to be a warrior-king, a military leader, who will be served by Israel’s enemies; but an humble king, a suffering servant, who has come to serve and give his life as a ransom for many.
Jesus has not come to sit on a throne and be servedby conquered peoples. He has come to kneel on the floor and wash the feet of His subjects. Jesus has not come to rally people behind Him and do battle against other people. He has come to rally them behind Him and do battle against poverty, hunger, hatred, and all forms of injustice.
Jesus has not come to condemn people. He has come to forgive them. Jesus has not come to destroy people’s dreams. He has come to fulfil them in the most wonderful way imaginable. Jesus has not come to force people to follow Him. He has come to invite them.
Palm Sunday is the beginning of Holy Week and is a day of glory and impending tragedy. We call this coming week holy because it recalls and relives holy events. We could also call it ‘loyalty week’ because it is a time to sacrifice time and energy and pleasure to join in the public worship of the Church, services that flash before us the sacred events which will inspire loyalty to Christ for every future day of our lives.
Holy Week highlights the peak moments of Christ’s love for us, gives us an opportunity to look at our lives and accept responsibility for our sins. It gives us the opportunity to examine our own commitment to truth and justice, and at our loyalty to Christ and his Gospel. But in doing this we must not lose sight of the central character in this sordid story, namely, Christ himself.
The passion story spells out the last events of the life of Jesus and makes clear the price He paid for our sins.
His death on the cross reminds us that there is a God towards whom we journey and whose friendship we seek. Every Christian becomes aware that in his/her own life he/she has to meet the same fate as Jesus. He/she must join in Christ’s suffering and death in order to share his glory. The road to eternal life will not by-pass the hill of Calvary. Our victory, like Christ’s, comes only through the cross.
There is no point in comforting ourselves with the thought that a group of Jews crucified Christ. The people involved in Christ’s death are very like us. The rejection and the crucifixion continue daily. Each of us had a hand in his death because the face of Christ is marred and scared by the violence and injury; slander and hardship which we inflict on our neighbours. If we are honest, we can see shades of ourselves in all those who put Jesus to death. Jesus is crucified every time a human being is degraded, treated unjustly and deprived of real freedom.
Peter and Judas, Pilate and the soldiers should cause us to reflect on the treachery and evil that sleeps within us all. No-one can follow Jesus through the liturgy of Holy Week without the truth dawning anew in our hearts. The truth is that God loves us all with a love that cost Him death on the cross.
May Christ the Humble King and Universal Saviour bless our procession of today and admit us into His kingdom at the end of our lives. Amen.
