St. Elizabeth Ann Seton 

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April 5th, Palm Sunday of the Passion of the Lord

Meditation: My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?
 
This Mass of Palm Sunday begins the celebration of Holy Week. This celebration this Sunday opens the way for the celebration of the Paschal Triduum: Holy Thursday, Good Friday and Easter Vigil. We began this journey of faith on Ash Wednesday with the invitation to prayer, fasting and almsgiving. During the following Sundays we have been meditating on Jesus’ life, his miracles, and the invitation to open our heart to God’s transforming grace. In this way we have prepared our hearts to worthily celebrate the mystery of our salvation. Today, from home, we participate in spirit in this beautiful celebration of Palm Sunday.
 
We know that this liturgy begins with a simple or solemn procession that symbolizes Jesus’ triumphant entry into Jerusalem. We hear the gospel passage from Matthew where Jesus is acclaimed as “Son of David”, a messianic title that emphasizes his character as a humble, just and victorious King who would restore the holy city of Jerusalem. The procession is festive, a prophetic anticipation of the definitive triumph of Christ over sin and death. The procession is also a symbol of Christ walking with humankind in their pilgrimage to the eternal destination. It is also a fulfillment of the biblical promise that says : “I will be with you until the end of times”. These past few weeks of Lent, I think Jesus has been with us in this walk full of uncertainty and darkness. We have asked Him to have mercy on us. Both Lent and holy week will end up being a real experience of the meaning of the Passion, Death and Resurrection. Jesus teaches us that we must die in order to be born into the life of the Spirit.
 
The proclamation of the Passion of the Lord according to Matthew shows us the difficult way Jesus endured out of His love for us, sinful men and women. And so, we must look upon Christ with love and thankfulness because he laid down his life in immolation in order to redeem us. The way to Calvary is a symbol of our way to heavenly glory. The Eucharist is the road to reach this promised glory. If this walk shows us more clearly the destination we are aiming for, ie the kingdom of heaven, then Christ’s Passion shows us the road and conditions to get there: trials, pain, persecution, obedience, humility, love and death. Our daily life is also a walk we share with Christ, Christ Himself walks with us and leads us opening the gates of heaven for us. He is the Servant of God who suffers and hurts with us who make up his mystical body, the church.
 
One of the requisites to enter into a profound experience of Christ’s Passion is faith. Jesus tells the High Priest that He is the Messiah; in Him the promises of the Kingdom are fulfilled, and a new covenant of love is established. Jesus is in control of his actions, and he offers himself freely in sacrifice, out of love, to fulfill the will of His Father. The crown of thorns, the scarlet cloak and the cross are symbols of his majesty and royalty. Christ is the king who reigns in the hearts of those who accept Him. Through his sufferings, Jesus is King and He saves all of humanity. Our cry must also be: “Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest!” Christ is our King. Am I willing to give Him my life, allowing Him to reign over the totality of my life?
 
Human life is a road we walk with Christ. With Him we find the way of the Cross Jesus’ triumphant entry into Jerusalem can be a symbol of many moments in our lives. Moments of joy, of sincere friendship, of personal fulfillment. Moments when we experience God’s love more intensely, or the closeness and love of our loved ones, or the beauty of life. However, there are also moments when we go through sadness, pain, loss, failure, doubt, fear, anxiety, confusion, depression, sickness, misunderstandings and death in our lives. At those moments we could also say: “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”
 
After these weeks of uncertainty and suffering due to the coronavirus, let us ask the Lord in a special way, today when we celebrate His Passion and Death to make ours the gift of the salvation He won for us. The cross we are carrying right now is heavy, but the Passion and Death of Jesus are a wonderful sign of God’s love for us. God loves us deeply and will never abandon us, because we are His beloved children. “Can a mother forget her infant, be without tenderness for the child of her womb? Even should she forget, I will never forget you.” (Isaiah 49:15)
 
I invite you to say a prayer of thanksgiving to Jesus for offering His life freely for our redemption. He has saved us through His Death and Resurrection. Tell Him: “Thank you Lord, for loving me and for never forgetting me.”
 
     
Fr Jose Ugalde, MSpS
Priest Administrator
 

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