Jessel Pradeep Cutinha csc –
Readings: Is 50:4-7; Phil 2:6-11; Mt 26: 14-27:66
Today we celebrate the Palm Sunday of the Lord’s Passion and enter Holy Week. It is called Palm Sunday because it refers to the palm branches which the people of Jerusalem laid on the path to welcome Jesus who was riding on the donkey. This day is significant because we welcome Jesus into our lives and ask for a share in his passion, death and resurrection. Today we not only remember Jesus’ suffering, death and resurrection but also our own suffering, death and resurrection with Jesus.
As we celebrate the Passion Sunday of the Lord, the readings invite us to focus on the passion and suffering of Jesus. In the first reading, prophet Isaiah foretells the passion of Jesus. He tells us that Jesus is the suffering messiah. The same suffering event of Jesus is beautifully explained by St. Paul in his letter to the Philippians. He explains in the form of a hymn, which we call Christological hymn: “Though Jesus was divine, he humbled himself and became obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.” The Gospel gives a detailed narration of the passion and death of Jesus.
Palm Sunday also solemnly declares Jesus as the King, our redeemer and saviour. People of Israel waved palm branches and welcomed Jesus.
For us it should be an invitation to welcome Jesus to enter our hearts and so that we can participate in his suffering, and finally join him in his resurrection. Palm Sunday is a call for us to become humble and obedient like Jesus.