SUNDAY MARCH 24, 2024
PALM OR PASSION SUNDAY YEAR B
Mark 11:1-10
Isaiah 50:4-7
Philippians 2:6-11
Mark 14:1-15:47
THE SAVING MYSTERIES OF CHRIST AND OUR PART NOW AND IN THE FUTURE IN THE MYSTERY
The reenactment of the saving mysteries of Christ which we have been preparing since with the season of Lent is now here. The Holy Week is the period in which we celebrate the greatest and most important saving mysteries of Christ. It is the week of weeks. Here we come to commemorate the Paschal mystery, the suffering, death and resurrection of Christ.
Jesus our Saviour simplifies this celebration well for our comprehension as he gives the directives to his disciples and helps us to enter into the mysteries of the celebration.
First, we begin with the entrance into Jerusalem, an act that portrays the peoples willingness and acceptance of Jesus as the expected messiah with the acclamation, the singing of the Hossanna at his entrance into Jerusalem. This is a strong message of the fact that Jesus indeed has come, the messiah has accepted to and willing given himself for the salvation of the world by Jesus himself giving details of what the disciples will do.
Although the world recognizes him as the messiah, the one who comes in the name of the Lord, yet they could not fathom how his messiah ship would be actualized. But the people know their need of a saving messiah and welcomed him.
The different roles of the actors as unfolded in the passion narrative reveal the many aspects of the mysteries celebrated and consequences that will come.
The role of the conspirators who dejected and condemned him is played beginning with Judas Ischariot who sold him for silver, for penury and pecuniary reasons. Greed and lure of materialism made him so.
Joining Judas Ischariot are other set of people or players, the chief priest and all priests who sought and scouted evidences and testimonies for his condemnation. Within these sphere are also the crowd who contributed dissuaded by the flimsy evidences, accusations and a somewhat fan or spectator-inspired acclamation by the crowd. Many of the voices never understood the weight and magnitude of their actions when they were shouting crucify him. They seem to be the same people who also shouted hossana at the entrance into Jerusalem. Why now shouting crucify him? The chief priest and their cohorts are consumed by Jealousy and envy.
The disciples were also not spared their weakness and indecision when with Jesus they swore loyalty, faithfulness and sincerity but in the face of torture, fear and intimation they denied him squarely. They ran for safety and allowed Jesus to carry his cross alone.
But the pieces of Jesus’ life were rather gathered and honoured by Joseph of Arimathae who went to Pilate and demanded for the body of Jesus and laid him to rest in an honorable way and tomb that was never used.
The question put at the end of this narrative is where do each and everyone of us stand now. What part are we playing in the mysteries of Jesus? What can we say of ourselves? Are we like pilate, or the chief priests, or his scared, unfaithful disciples, or like Joseph of Arimathae or who?
In this celebration, we want to recall and celebrate they mystery of our redemption in full to help us appreciate in whose blood we were saved and what attitude we must emulate and what spirit we must uphold.
Jesus comes as a trustful lamb in the first reading from Isaiah. A faithful disciple and beneficiary of the salvation must appear as a trustful lamb. And the second reading mentioned an overriding virtues that Jesus possesses to win life, our lives. And the virtues is humility. Coming as man, dying as man, suffering as man and taking the form of a slave and a servant is humility. That is the main thing we must have to win life.
Jesus in the mystery of his suffering, death and resurrection teaches us trust in him, humility of life and submissiveness to divine authority.
Heavenly Father, may our celebration of the passion and death of Christ, bring us forgiveness of our sins, and cleansing of our faults with total reassurance of our eternal salvation. May it effect in us divine blessings of earthly successes, peace of mind and happiness in this earthly life through the same Christ our Lord.
Fr Norbert Uchuno
