This morning we are going to celebrate Palm Sunday, the events that led up to this glorious day where thousands of people were ecstatic about Jesus coming into their town. When Jesus made His triumphal entry into the city of Jerusalem, they gave Him a royal welcome. It is a remarkable event recorded by all four Gospels. Let us begin this holy week remembering the greatness of the passionate love of God for humanity. Due to Covid-19 pandemic, this year Palm Sunday and Holy Week will be celebrated without popular participation. This does not imply that liturgical celebrations are private. They are and remain public. As the Second Vatican Council teaches, the Liturgy has by its nature a “public and social disposition”.

Attentive participation in the Holy Week liturgy will deepen our relationship with God, increase our Faith and strengthen our lives as disciples of Jesus. Today’s liturgy combines contrasting moments, one of glory, the other of suffering: the royal welcome of Jesus in Jerusalem and the drama of the trial, culminating in crucifixion, death and burial for the Christ.

The crowd which welcomed Jesus were superficial. Their support for him was only skin deep. It was easy to be part of a crowd that welcomed Jesus and it was easy to be part of a crowd that condemned him to death. There is truth in the old adage, “no cross, no crown,” suffering is necessary if we are to become the persons God meant us to be. Suffering enables us to know ourselves and to get outside ourselves. It matures us into the fullness of being human. The type of suffering – the cross of our lives – is not what matters, but how we react to it. Let us prioritize and place Christ the King as the primary concern in our lives. It is only when we have done this that we will find true peace and happiness in our confused and complex world. Let us welcome Jesus into our hearts and let us enter into this Holy Week with true humility and trust. Let us enter into the New Jerusalem with Christ our King.

OLSH, 05-04-2020