Homily for Palm Sunday of the Lord’s Passion Year C (4)

Homily for Palm Sunday of the Lord’s Passion Year C

Theme: “Hosanna to the Son of David…!”

By: Fr. Arthur Ntembula

Homily for Sunday April 10 2022

(At the Blessing of Palms before Procession; Luke 19:28-40)
(At the Mass; Isaiah 50:4-7, Philippians 2:6-11, Luke 22:14-23:56)
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In this Sunday’s celebration of the Lord’s Passion, the liturgy recalls two significant events in the life of Jesus: His triumphant entry into Jerusalem and his death on the cross. The Gospel read at the blessing of the palms records the arrival of Jesus in the city of Jerusalem riding on a donkey while the crowds spread their cloaks on the road, wave palm branches, and shout “Hosanna to the Son of David…!” In the Jewish world, a donkey is a symbol of peace. By riding on a donkey, Jesus portrays a peaceful divine kingship; it is not about earthly power. Ordinarily, the people should have expected to see Jesus riding on a powerful horse. He is a king, isn’t he? But in humility and peace, Jesus enters Jerusalem on a small animal, a donkey. However, people still acclaim him king, the promised Messiah, who, they hope, would save them from their afflictions. Not long after, the same people, probably after learning that his kingship is different from what they thought, demand that he be crucified. In obedience to the will of the Father, Jesus accepts death: “He humbled Himself and became obedient unto death even death on a cross” (Philippians 2:8).

It is painful to be persecuted and condemned by the people you helped. Jesus is condemned by the community he fed, healed and accommodated. This teaches us that it is not automatic that the people you help would reciprocate your kind gesture. Sometimes they would even be the ones to bite your back and bring you down. Betrayal lives with us. Life teaches us a lot of lessons.

We have something to learn from the attitude of Jesus. He doesn’t say, “I fed you, I healed you etc.” He simply looks on, accepting everything that is thrown at him because he has a mission to accomplish. His program is to save humanity. Jesus faces this situation of pain so that humanity may have life. As we pass through this world of suffering, betrayal and deception, Jesus invites us not to depart from doing what is good for others. If we have to help someone, we should do it without expecting anything in return. Our purpose should be to save and to serve, and to do it without strings attached. We may be hurt by the people we help, but our focus should still be on what is good and pursue it unconditionally. What was “good” for Jesus was to bring us salvation; not even the weight of the cross could make him shift his focus from this. And what is “good” for us is to reach out to anybody without expecting that the same kind gestures be done to us as well.

I wish you a fruitful Holy Week of Grace.

ENJOY YOUR LITURGY
Fr. Arthur Ntembula