Homily – Palm Sunday

In the most troublesome times of your life have you ever experienced in that very moment, loneliness or isolation?

If so, the Passion of Our Lord today, shares with us the whole experience of Jesus who was being alone, who was questioned by people and the authority.  In the end, Jesus gave his life for each one of us.

The liturgy of Palm Sunday guides us through the experiences of Jesus who is warmly welcomed by the people ‘Hosanna to the Son of David’; then, to the moment of hopelessness when the same people shouted all together “Crucify him, crucify him”.  Such a tragic experience that he had to deal with.

The palms that we blessed today and the Passion (according to St Mark) that we read draw us into a drama of holy week: not merely as observers but as participants. The palms that we hold and take home with us are signs that we are willing to march with Jesus: not only in moments of triumph and glory as when He entered Jerusalem crying “Hosanna to the Son of David”; but also in moments of suffering and agony as when he was condemned to death with the crowd saying, “Crucify Him”.

It is easy to praise God when we are enjoying success or feeling healthy and are surrounded by a loving family and a circle of friends. On the other hand, it is difficult to believe in God when we are discouraged by repeated failure, suffer from sickness and pain, or feel abandoned by everyone. But it is precisely in such moments that we really participate in the passion of Christ.

This experience challenges us that whether we are in the most happiest of  moments or we are in the deepest of our isolations, we are invited to be hopeful and faithful to God who never lets go of us.

Let us use this opportunity of Holy Week as a time of sharing the passion, death and Resurrection of the Son of God who comes to share our human sufferings and lead us to the merciful Father. 

By Fr Trac