Way back on February 14, on Ash Wednesday, we started our journey with Jesus in the desert for 40 days. That was more than a month ago. Now that we are one week away from Easter Sunday, we are close to the end of our journey. We Catholics know that Lent is a special time of the year for us, a time of repentance, renewal, and conversion.
Today, at the beginning of Mass, we heard from Mark's Gospe about Jesus entering the city of Jerusalem on a humble colt. The crowd welcomed Jesus into the holy city like he was a triumphant conqueror. The crowd was astonished at the majesty of his presence. Yet, a short time afterwards, Jesus enters into his passion and death on a cross. As he carried his cross, as he died this humiliating death, the crowds saw his appearance as lowly and humble, in contrast to his triumphant entrance into the city. Jesus became the object of public derision.
On Palm Sunday, as we commemorate our annual entry into Holy Week, we commemorate this paradox, these dual aspects of our faith. On Palm Sunday, with the reading of Jesus’ entry in Jerusalem and with the reading of the passion, there is both triumph and rejection. With Jesus nailed to the cross, there is both death and a promise of rebirth.
There were two different types of people that welcomed Jesus into the holy city of Jerusalem. Some of them waved palms and shouted “Hosanna in the highest;” they were expecting a Messiah who would bring power. might, and military glory to the nation of Israel. However, others in the crowd were looking for someone who would bring them a new-found hope in the midst of desolation and despair. They wanted a Messiah who would understand their lowliness, who would bring healing and refreshment to their bodies and souls, a Messiah who would be with them in their misery and suffering.
Which group are we with? Are we willing to wave the palm branches this morning, seeing hope and new life and encouragement in the midst of our Lenten journey, in the midst of what is weighing down our hearts?
Palm Sunday presents us a paradox. It would be easy to try to simplify it, to not wrestle with the paradox in our minds. We started Mass today by recalling the moment when Jesus was most accepted by the public as he entered the city of Jerusalem. Then, we turned abruptly to the Passion, to his public betrayal and public failure. While the laws of man condemned Jesus, the law of God raised him up and the mind of God never left his side. Jesus stays the course throughout his passion, even with all the internal and societal pressures that are weighing him down on this journey, that are wanting to bring him failure. Thankfully, we know that the end of Holy Week will bring us hope and resurrection. As we celebrate Palm Sunday today and trace Jesus’ journey every step of the way during Holy Week, may we sense God’s presence with us on our own journeys, with everything that is weighing us down.
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