Reflection for April 2, 2023

Palm Sunday of the Lord's Passion (A)

Isaiah 50:4-7 | Psalm 22:8-9, 17-18, 19-20, 23-24. | Philippians 2:6-11 | Matthew 26:14—27:66 or 27:11-54

Today we enter into the most solemn week in our liturgical year. The readings today present us with the opportunity to understand Jesus' journey to Resurrection through the Cross. We shall pray for the gifts of patient endurance, humility, and discernment. 

Fr. Matthew Chu Li-teh, S.J. was arrested and put in prison in Shanghai, China. His crime was preaching in his church. He immediately began to share Christ while he was in prison. He had a trial. It was a mockery of justice, and he was sentenced to 27 years. He did his 27 years, got out, and wrote these words: “Both prisoners and jailers asked many questions, and we had a more fruitful ministry there than we could have expected in church. God was better served by our presence in prison than if we had been free."

Our First Reading is taken from the third of the four servant songs by Deutero-Isaiah. Israel in Babylonian exile is rejecting God's message.  Despite rejection by the people, the servant does not refuse his divine vocation to deliver the truth.  He expresses unshakable confidence that God will eventually prove him right and vindicate him. There is something in our fleshly human nature that just loves to get even. When we have been bullied, or injured, or mistreated, or attacked, our emotions well up inside of us and all we can think of is revenge or retaliation. It's clear in the Scriptures that the servant makes no resistance to his attackers. He does not meet violence with violence. He does not resist when he is beaten, when his beard is plucked, when he is struck and spat upon. A servant does not fight fire with fire. Patient endurance is not weakness but a sign of great inner strength. Insults and violence cannot change the inner reality of your person and the message of truth that you bear. Patient endurance of beatings and insults prepare ordinary people like you and me for an extraordinary destiny. Let us take consolation in the words of the Dominican virgin and penitent Rosa of Lima, "Apart from the Cross there is no other ladder by which we may get to Heaven."

Ludovico Ang, billionaire tycoon, was visiting a church and was asked to give his testimony. He said, “I have a fine family, twenty large mansions, a successful business empire of ten companies and a good reputation. I have plenty of money so I can support some ministries and outreach program very generously. Various universities and organizations want me on their board of directors. I have good health and almost unlimited opportunities. What more could I ask from God?” As he paused for effect, a voice shouted from the back of the auditorium, “How about asking Him for a good dose of humility?”

In his letter to the Phillipians, the apostle Paul taught that Jesus Christ, the Son of God and King of Heaven, had the right to honor, praise, and worship. Yet, to be our Savior, he laid all of his privileges aside to become a lowly servant. He accepted all it means to become human, including death. It had to be so. The Second Adam had to undo the damage caused by the first. Our first parents were bitten by the serpent and injected with the deadly poison of pride and the antidote could only be humility. Jesus' humble obedience would crush the head of the deadly serpent. Today, we watch how the King comes riding into Jerusalem. The  lesson for us on this Palm Sunday of the Lord's Passion is one of humility. The way to salvation is not one of self-assertion, of relying on our own greatness, but instead, through acknowledging our absolute dependence upon God. Let us humbly beg Jesus, "Hosanna! Come save your people, Lord!"

The story is told of a new bank president who met with his predecessor and said, "I would like to know what have been the keys to your success." The older gentleman looked at him and replied, "Young man, I can sum it up in two words: Good decisions." To that the young man responded, "I thank you immensely for that advice, sir, but how does one come to know which are the good decisions?" "One word, young man," replied the sage. "Experience." "That's all well and good," said the younger, "but how does one get experience?" "Two words," said the elder. "Bad decisions."

We heard in the Passion of our Lord according to Saint Matthew that the crowd made a really bad decision to release Barabbas. Bar Abbas actually means "son (child) of the Father". We are whom Barabbas depicted. Just as Barabbas was a guilty rebel, murderer, and thief, so are we. We are the prisoner being freed. Jesus took our death, and we were given the freedom Jesus deserved. Jesus bore the guilt and shame and curse and disgrace and death that we deserved. We did not deserve that freedom. But Jesus took our place to die. We are children of the Father. We are Barabbas. We suffer the consequences of the bad decisions we make. Let us choose Jesus over Barabbas, next time around. 

Dear God, Jesus submitted himself to suffering, rejection and death to make it possible for us to be fully alive. We pray for patient endurance in our hearts and lives, in our families, in our church and in our country. We acknowledge that you are our only hope. Transform us to the same humility of our Saviour, so we may follow your will in our own lives always. Sorry for the poor choices and bad decisions we make. Someday we will be wiser and finally choose you. May it be so, we pray. In Jesus’ name. Amen. 

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