PALM SUNDAY

 ENTRY INTO THE HOLY WEEK, 28 MARCH 2021

1. We are set to enter the Holy Week. All the days in the Lenten season till now are one count, and the days in this holy week are another count. Not that we take away the importance of all these days. Certainly they have been moments and experiences of God’s closeness in increased prayer, penance and kindness. But these few days are the last phase, and they should be more intense and deeper. They should intensify our Lenten spirit, and also help us to recuperate and compensate for what has been lacking. We have three important days in this holy week, namely, the Palm Sunday, Holy or Maundy Thursday and Good Friday, before we enter upon the Easter Vigil and the Easter Sunday.

2. We can begin with an honest observation: Often in the conducting of the ceremonies and preaching during the holy week, there is a dominant tendency to dramatize or fantasize or to traumatize. That is, too much aura of a drama is created, a fertile imagination is cultivated and a deep feeling of sorrow and remorse is aroused. A certain extent of these may be okay and needed, in the sense that they may help to evoke deep sentiment, to touch the heart, and to involve the persons more personally. But if they are limited only to that level, the effect may be shallow and short-lived. That is why we see very often that all the changes and the spirit of sacrifice and kindness remain no longer than the Good Friday, not even lasting till the Easter night!

3. What is needed is not merely to dramatize or traumatize but to empathize and energize life thereafter. On one hand, our holy celebrations are intended to re-deepen within us a renewed empathy for the Lord, feeling one with him in authentic sensitivity and repentant solidarity, and an intimate communion with him. On the other hand, they should re-enthuse and re-energize our spirits for a changed and recharged living. We need then a real shift of emphasis, a shift of paradigm and priorities.

 

PASSION (LOVE) LEADS TO PASSION

(SUFFERING): JESUS LOVES US AND IS ORIENTED TO SUFFER FOR US

  

PALM SUNDAY, 28 MARCH 2021

1. Often I am fascinated by the whole scene of the Palm Sunday, called also Passion Sunday. Why? I see a vivid connection and parallel between Palm Sunday and Good Friday. In both the scenes, there is procession; there is excitement; there is enthusiasm; there is crowd; there is noise and commotion; there is Jesus the central figure; there is a big following and accompaniment. But there is also a vital difference: the mood is different; the ambience is different; the intentions are different; the presentation and the figure of Jesus is different; the type of slogans is different; the destination and the end of the procession is different.

2. On the Palm Sunday, it is a royal procession; it is a rather favorable crowd, with positive slogans; Jesus is honored as a king, seated on a donkey; the way is streets of Jerusalem, with clothes spread along; the purpose is to install Jesus as king; and the destination is the temple of Jerusalem, the center of the city. But on the Good Friday, it is a “criminal” procession; it is a hostile crowd; with hateful slogans; Jesus is disgraced as a criminal, loaded with cross; the way is the road to mount Calvary, marked with dust, stones and his blood; the purpose is to crucify Jesus as a blasphemer, as a rebel, as a heretic; the destination is Calvary, on the periphery of the city.

3. What is very interesting and strange is, it is the same crowd, and that too within a span of just four days. The whole scene changes. The whole “passion for” Jesus on Palm Sunday, ends up in the “passion of” Jesus on the Good Friday. Just to pick up some sudden contrast of details of scenes: palms in arms turn into arms to harm, into scourges; joyful cries of hosanna, hosanna turn into resentful shouts of ‘crucify him, crucify him’; donkey turns into cross; king into criminal; sentiment into resentment; felicitation into persecution; kingly crown into thorny crown; clothes of welcome and honor into stones and thistles of rejection; applause into abuse; smooth ride into bloody stumbling; coronation into crucifixion; glory into misery.

4. It is here we need to focus, not so much on the exact and crude details of Jesus’ trial, cross and suffering. Rather what are the leading factors, and why and how he accepts and bears all of that. It is the sharp contrast between the single and undivided nature, perspective, motive and goal of Jesus, and the divided nature, divided and deviated perspectives, motives and goals of the people. Jesus’ nature is divine and noble. His perspective is spiritual and noble. His motive is inner renewal and transformation. And his goal is heaven and kingdom. But the nature of the people is human and fragile. Their perspective is totally material and unworthy. Their motive is worldly gains and self-interests. Their goal is an earthly king and earthly kingdom against the Roman empire. Thus there is a wide chasm between Jesus and the people. This leads them to such a shocking compromise, instability, infidelity and defection, in contrast to Jesus’ conviction, stability, fidelity and dedication, which really confront, challenge and frustrate them.

5. This is the right and apt time to do a little self-checkup concerning our own nature, perspectives, motives and goals. How often we fall to compromise, instability, infidelity and defection, failing in conviction and commitment to the Lord? Are we not among and like those people, whenever we are easily carried away by our own weaknesses, material and unspiritual perspectives, self-centered interests and gains and cheap and low goals?

Let us surely feel for the Lord who suffers so much by such disloyalty and betrayal. But let us also as much feel pain and repentance concerning our own selves, who hurt and torment him daily by our compromising attitudes, false values, ill-character and wrong-footed behavior and actions.