Matthew 21. 1-11・Isaiah 50. 4-7・Ps 22. 8+9,17+18, 19+20, 23+24 ・Philippians 2. 6-11・Matthew 27.11-54
We have prayed together during our previous Sunday Masses for those who will be baptized on Easter Vigil mass. We all tried to understand our previous readings in the context of our Baptism. For the catechumenate, it is more in the context of their prayerful anticipation of what will they receive. We learnt from the teachings of Jesus that there are indeed more things to reflect deeper, more than what we basically long daily such us food and water. We are also called to go beyond the shallowness of our sense of sight and sense of touch maybe, for us to know better the truth about Jesus, and His invitation to always know & follow Him.
Today is Palm Sunday. It is important to understand that we are in the high point of our liturgical year. The blessing of the Palm today brings us to the climax of this Lenten season. Reflecting on the Paschal Mystery is not just about keeping a memory and creating a shallow utter of thanksgiving. Our conversion of heart allows us to enter into New Life with Jesus while we choose Good over evil, while we choose love over indifference.
(1) God conveys his love for all. He continues to tell us what kind of relationship He has with us. Let us continue to keep a relationship with Him that gives courage to participate in His mission no matter how difficult it may be. Our first reading from the book of Isaiah may tell us that the abundance of God`s grace enable us to be patient in pain and suffering, The abundance of God`s grace enables us to choose planting good seeds of forgiveness, mercy and love in the midst of this world`s realities.
(2) As we continue listening to our readings today, we acknowledge at least two (2) realities, and maybe reasons why we have this “Jesus` passion & death, and Resurrection after 3 days .”
(a) Similar to our very human judgment to what is happening around us every day, we have “Jesus` passion and death” because of a very typical hate and prejudice among people even in Jesus` time. Jesus was literally a threat to the political standing in the society of the time. His presence, Words & Actions as well was, and was strongly a threat to the religious authorities of the time. Threatened people had to subject Him to pain and inevitable death. In present time, one may hate and unfriend another who may seem to be a threat to one`s power, and who may seem to be a threat to fulfilling unending ambition to wealth & fame. In here too, we can have a grasp of many reasons why Jesus was crucified. Let us then pray for people who are persecuted, marginalized & discriminated for the sake of the Gospel.
(b) In the context of our Christian faith, no matter how difficult it may seem to understand, things happened because all was in accordance with the Will of the Heavenly Father. For Jesus who once walked on this earth, Jesus` love for everyone is the same unconditional love of the Heavenly Father. Jesus sacrificed His life for love of those who love Him, and for love of His enemies for conversion. The unending love and mercy of the Father was well manifested through the sacrifices of Jesus, through the hate of threatened people that led Jesus to further pain and suffering, through all of Jesus` weaknesses as a human like us, except sin.
(3) Jesus` emptying of Himself has made all His passion in the hands of threatened people & His death on the Cross truly meaningful. By emptying Himself, He was filled with the Spirit of the Father who sent Him. So in our daily lives, we also learn how to empty ourselves and let God reign in our hearts. We may not know that we are too full with many things that do not actually help us grow in the Spirit of Jesus, and do not help us enter to New Life with Jesus.
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