Homily for Palm Sunday - March 28, 2010

There is a certain incongruity about today’s Passion – Palm Sunday liturgy. We begin the liturgy with a sense of celebration. We carry palm branches and echo the hosannas shouted by the people of Jerusalem as Jesus enters the city. But the account of the passion confronts us with our complicity in the injustice, fear and hatred that leads ultimately to the cross.
We welcome the Christ of victory, the Christ of Palm Sunday, but we sometimes really do not understand the Christ of suffering, the Christ of Good Friday. The branches of palm serve as symbols of that incongruity that often exists between the faith we profess on our lips and the faith we profess in our lives.
The passion gospel portrays a Jesus who has been totally abandoned by his disciples and friends. He endures such a cruel and unjust death alone. Yet, amid the darkness, a light glimmers. A pagan centurion confesses his new-found realization that this crucified Jesus is indeed the ‘Son of God’. Joseph of Arimathea is emboldened to break with his fellow councilors and requests from Pilate the body of Jesus. The passion of Jesus should be a reason of hope and a moment of grace for all of us as we seek the reign of God in our own lives.
Let us look at a few characters in the passion story that we may especially identify with. What is it about their failure or heroism before the cross that strikes us? The characters in the story were ordinary people; they belonged to the same human family as we do. Let’s look briefly at the main characters in the passion story and the motives out of which they acted.
The Pharisees: These were austere, religious men, who devoted ALL their energy to doing good and to the study of God’s law. But they were convinced of their own righteousness and history shows that such people are capable of the most appalling evil. Examples: the unconverted Paul, the Crusades, the torture of innocent people by some governments, mean spirited Catholics who keep all the rules, judge others’ motives, and are uncharitable with family and friends.
Pilate: He was concerned about his high office and the preservation of law and order. He knew Jesus was innocent. He feared that trouble would endure if he did not give the religious leaders what they wanted. No doubt he was also thinking about his own job. Many people know what is right, but they always don’t have the courage to do it.
Judas: Most likely a disillusioned person. But even he came to recognize and condemn the evil he had done. He could not live with the killing of an innocent man.
Though plenty of people today seem to have NO such problem: think of some abortionists, terrorists, others who kill innocent people.
Peter: Here we have a person who was simply weak and cowardly. But Peter shed tears over his denials.
The soldiers: They were simply carrying out orders. The Nazi leaders made the same excuse. At the Nuremberg trials, they tried to convince their accusers that they were really people of good character whose only crime was loyalty. We can all be rather good at blaming others for our faults and sins.
The crowd: It was a highly emotional occasion. They simply got carried away. They really didn’t know what was happening. Do we not often take refuge in the crowd? “Everyone is doing it.” “A little gossip won’t hurt.” But we must not lose sight of the central character in this sad gospel story, namely Jesus himself. Jesus shows us that the only way to overcome evil is by good.
We all have a dark side and it sleeps in all of us. This Holy Week provides us with an opportunity to look at it. But there is a positive side. Christ WILL help us to become instruments of truth, justice, courage, peace and love, if only we allow Him in our lives. Is Jesus truly the King of our lives?
What a difficult time for the history of our world. Our world and all of us need Holy Week. There is a beautiful prayer that I would like to end homily with today, a prayer of forgiveness found in the pocket of one of the Jews murdered at Auschwitz:
“Lord, remember not only people of good will, but also people of ill will. Do not remember only the sufferings that have been inflicted on us. But remember too the fruit we have brought as a result of this sufferings: comradeship and loyalty, humility and courage, the generosity and greatness of heart that has grown out of it. And when they come to judgment, LET ALL THE FRUITS THAT WE HAVE BORNE, BE THERE FORGIVENESS.”
Have you ever thanked God for your suffering that you have courageously overcome with Christ at your side? This is the true meaning of Holy Week and Easter.