Hosanna, Hosanna!

The Great season of Lent comes to an end with the celebration of Palm Sunday. This Sunday, called Palm or Passion Sunday, is the first day of Holy Week. The Holy Week (especially Holy Thursday, Good Friday, and Holy Saturday are called the Triduum; three days that are the highlight and the core of our faith) is the most important week in the life of Church! It is a time when we celebrate in a special way the life, death, and resurrection of our Lord Jesus.

        With the celebration of Palm Sunday, the entire Church commemorates Jesus’ triumphant and messianic entrance into Jerusalem to do his Father's will. People who came to Jerusalem for the Passover were looking to see Jesus, both for His miracles and His teaching about the kingdom of God. When they had heard that He was about to enter the city, they went out to meet Him with palms, branches, laying their garments on the ground before Him, and shouting, “Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the Name of the Lord!” Jesus was welcomed with great enthusiasm and cheers. But it did not take long for those welcoming him with joy to also say crucify Him.

Palm Sunday summons us to behold Jesus our King, to accept his ways of life and sufferings as the content of our Christian life, and to make His kingdom our goal and our destiny. We draw our identity from His life and His suffering. We are called to behold Him not simply as the One who came to us riding on a colt, but as the One who is always present among us in the words that we preach, in the sacraments we celebrate, and in every act of love that we make. He comes to free us from all our fears and insecurities, to take possession of our soul, and to be enthroned in our heart.

        We cannot understand Jesus' kingship apart from his Passion and death. In His inexpressible humility Jesus accepted the infinite abasement of the Cross out of obedience for His Father and out love for us. Jesus is without doubt that servant prefigured by the Prophet Isaiah in chapter 50 and 53; He did not shield his face from buffets and spitting out of the same love. He bore our griefs and carried our sorrows; He was wounded for our offenses and made Himself an offering for sin.

        No greater love was shown to the human race than that of Jesus. He gave his life and He took upon Himself all our sins that He may bring light to our darkness, love to our hatred, and life to our death. We cannot be heirs of His kingdom without walking on His path.

Today, let us turn our faces to Him, let us ask for the grace to understand His supreme sacrifice for our sake; and then and in silence, let us contemplate the mystery of this Week.

God bless you ALL!

Fr. Anthonio JEAN