Blessed be the name of Jesus – and let every tongue confess that He is Lord!
Reflections on the readings for the Palm Sunday of the Lord’s Passion (April 14, 2019): LK 19:28-40; IS 50:4-7; PS 22:8-9,17-18,19-20,23-24; PHIL 2:6-11; LK 22:14 – 23:56
MISSIO offers “Mission In Scripture” to nurture a missionary heart, providing reflections on the missionary themes in the readings of Sundays, Feast Days and Holy Days
On Palm Sunday we are called to look at Christ as He really is, both human and divine.
The people welcoming Him into Jerusalem had heard about Him and maybe even listened to His words of truth and hope. They addressed Him as one who is holy and called by God. But their acclamation only showed how little they understood and how fickle their loyalty was. Jesus wanted them and all people to recognize Him as Christ our Savior not only because of what He said and did but also because of Who He was. Jesus is love. He reached out in mercy to heal the sick, to forgive sinners, to share peace and joy with those burdened by their own misery and the evil of the world. Our Lord did not come demanding abject obedience and unquestioning adoration. He does want us to obey and adore Him, but always respects the free will that He – one with the Father and Holy Spirit – gave each of us. Our Redeemer asks us to love and listen to Him because He is the Son of God and Man who wants us to be happy with Him. Now He wants us to be His faithful disciples and, later, His companions in eternity.
St. Paul wanted Christians to see the gentle humility that Jesus lived among His people. The great missionary urges us to understand that Christ calls us to emulate Him, serving Him and our brothers and sisters with loving-kindness and generosity. “Christ Jesus, though He was in the form of God, did not regard quality with God something to be grasped. Rather, He emptied Himself, taking the form of a slave, coming in human likeness; and found human in appearance, He humbled Himself, becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross” (Philippians 2:6-8). We, too, must be willing to empty ourselves out so that God can fill us up with His boundless grace and unfathomable love.
Suggested missionary action: As we begin Holy Week, let us pay attention to each opportunity to spend time in quiet prayer and to continue appropriate fasting and gracious almsgiving. We can also take advantage of spiritual reading so that we might draw closer to our Redeemer.
