Palm Sunday of the Lord’s Passion (10 Apr 2022)

Hymns for Mass – Press Here

Reading I

Is 50:4-7

The Lord GOD has given me
            a well-trained tongue,
that I might know how to speak to the weary
            a word that will rouse them.
Morning after morning
            he opens my ear that I may hear;
and I have not rebelled,
            have not turned back.
I gave my back to those who beat me,
            my cheeks to those who plucked my beard;
my face I did not shield
            from buffets and spitting.

The Lord GOD is my help,
            therefore I am not disgraced;
I have set my face like flint,
            knowing that I shall not be put to shame.

Responsorial Psalm

Ps 22:8-9, 17-18, 19-20, 23-24.

R (2a)  My God, my God, why have you abandoned me?
All who see me scoff at me;
            they mock me with parted lips, they wag their heads:
“He relied on the LORD; let him deliver him,
            let him rescue him, if he loves him.”
My God, my God, why have you abandoned me?
Indeed, many dogs surround me,
            a pack of evildoers closes in upon me;
They have pierced my hands and my feet;
            I can count all my bones.
My God, my God, why have you abandoned me?
They divide my garments among them,
            and for my vesture they cast lots.
But you, O LORD, be not far from me;
            O my help, hasten to aid me.
My God, my God, why have you abandoned me?
I will proclaim your name to my brethren;
            in the midst of the assembly I will praise you:
“You who fear the LORD, praise him;
            all you descendants of Jacob, give glory to him;
            revere him, all you descendants of Israel!”
My God, my God, why have you abandoned me?

Reading II

Phil 2:6-11

Christ Jesus, though he was in the form of God,
            did not regard equality 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.
Because of this, God greatly exalted him
            and bestowed on him the name
            which is above every name,
            that at the name of Jesus
            every knee should bend,
            of those in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
            and every tongue confess that
            Jesus Christ is Lord,
            to the glory of God the Father.

Verse Before the Gospel

Phil 2:8-9

Christ became obedient to the point of death,
even death on a cross.
because of this, God greatly exalted him
and bestowed on him the name which is above every name.

Gospel

Lk 23:1-49

The elders of the people, chief priests and scribes,
arose and brought Jesus before Pilate.
They brought charges against him, saying,
“We found this man misleading our people;
he opposes the payment of taxes to Caesar
and maintains that he is the Christ, a king.”
Pilate asked him, “Are you the king of the Jews?”
He said to him in reply, “You say so.”
Pilate then addressed the chief priests and the crowds,
“I find this man not guilty.”
But they were adamant and said,
“He is inciting the people with his teaching throughout all Judea,
from Galilee where he began even to here.”

On hearing this Pilate asked if the man was a Galilean;
and upon learning that he was under Herod’s jurisdiction,
he sent him to Herod who was in Jerusalem at that time.
Herod was very glad to see Jesus;
he had been wanting to see him for a long time,
for he had heard about him
and had been hoping to see him perform some sign.
He questioned him at length,
but he gave him no answer.
The chief priests and scribes, meanwhile,
stood by accusing him harshly.
Herod and his soldiers treated him contemptuously and mocked him,
and after clothing him in resplendent garb,
he sent him back to Pilate.
Herod and Pilate became friends that very day,
even though they had been enemies formerly.
Pilate then summoned the chief priests, the rulers, and the people
and said to them, “You brought this man to me
and accused him of inciting the people to revolt.
I have conducted my investigation in your presence
and have not found this man guilty
of the charges you have brought against him,
nor did Herod, for he sent him back to us.
So no capital crime has been committed by him.
Therefore I shall have him flogged and then release him.”

But all together they shouted out,
“Away with this man!
Release Barabbas to us.”
— Now Barabbas had been imprisoned for a rebellion
that had taken place in the city and for murder. —
Again Pilate addressed them, still wishing to release Jesus,
but they continued their shouting,
“Crucify him!  Crucify him!”
Pilate addressed them a third time,
“What evil has this man done?
I found him guilty of no capital crime.
Therefore I shall have him flogged and then release him.”
With loud shouts, however,
they persisted in calling for his crucifixion,
and their voices prevailed.
The verdict of Pilate was that their demand should be granted.
So he released the man who had been imprisoned
for rebellion and murder, for whom they asked,
and he handed Jesus over to them to deal with as they wished.

As they led him away
they took hold of a certain Simon, a Cyrenian,
who was coming in from the country;
and after laying the cross on him,
they made him carry it behind Jesus.
A large crowd of people followed Jesus,
including many women who mourned and lamented him.
Jesus turned to them and said,
“Daughters of Jerusalem, do not weep for me;
weep instead for yourselves and for your children
for indeed, the days are coming when people will say,
‘Blessed are the barren,
the wombs that never bore
and the breasts that never nursed.’
At that time people will say to the mountains,
‘Fall upon us!’
and to the hills, ‘Cover us!’
for if these things are done when the wood is green
what will happen when it is dry?”
Now two others, both criminals,
were led away with him to be executed.

When they came to the place called the Skull,
they crucified him and the criminals there,
one on his right, the other on his left.
Then Jesus said,
“Father, forgive them, they know not what they do.”
They divided his garments by casting lots.
The people stood by and watched;
the rulers, meanwhile, sneered at him and said,
“He saved others, let him save himself
if he is the chosen one, the Christ of God.”
Even the soldiers jeered at him.
As they approached to offer him wine they called out,
“If you are King of the Jews, save yourself.”
Above him there was an inscription that read,
“This is the King of the Jews.”

Now one of the criminals hanging there reviled Jesus, saying,
“Are you not the Christ?
Save yourself and us.”
The other, however, rebuking him, said in reply,
“Have you no fear of God,
for you are subject to the same condemnation?
And indeed, we have been condemned justly,
for the sentence we received corresponds to our crimes,
but this man has done nothing criminal.”
Then he said,
“Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.”
He replied to him,
“Amen, I say to you,
today you will be with me in Paradise.”

It was now about noon and darkness came over the whole land
until three in the afternoon
because of an eclipse of the sun.
Then the veil of the temple was torn down the middle.
Jesus cried out in a loud voice,
 “Father, into your hands I commend my spirit”;
and when he had said this he breathed his last.

Here all kneel and pause for a short time.

The centurion who witnessed what had happened glorified God and said,
“This man was innocent beyond doubt.”
When all the people who had gathered for this spectacle
saw what had happened,
they returned home beating their breasts;
but all his acquaintances stood at a distance,
including the women who had followed him from Galilee
and saw these events.

Homily

As we enter Holy Week each year, we do so already knowing what is ahead and how quickly something inimitable to our human nature is placed before us – our capriciousness and our ability to take goodness and light and then just snuff it out, all for our own benefit. 

Jesus rides through the gates of Jerusalem on a wave of hosannas, palm fronds bowing in adulation, but in a matter of days, the praise and glory will be trampled under the weight of self-preservation, fueled by fear. A deadly combination!

Jesus, Emmanuel – God among us, will quietly, willingly suffer what we demand through our broken humanity and twisted sense of self.

Our reading from Philippians today has a powerful and poetic verse outlining a harsh reality that we read but cannot fully assimilate. Jesus “did not regard equality with God / something to be grasped.” 

Here, the Son of God did not attempt to put himself on equal footing with God the Father. If only we humans could do the same. Since the dawn of creation, we have attempted to make ourselves into gods, to put ourselves on equal footing with the One who created us and the One who died for us. Isn’t this the original sin of Adam and Eve – to take the fruit from the Tree of Knowledge, the forbidden fruit, tempted by the false hope that they could or would have their eyes opened and be equal to God? 

But God, in his infinite mercy, not only allows this – the gift of free will – but continues to embrace us in spite of it, which is how we now reach this point of Palm Sunday and the beginning of Holy Week, and all that will unfold again in these days. We are called to look up – look up at the cross on which we have hung the Savior of the world because he did not live up to our expectations. 

Jesus could not grasp equality with God, but somehow, we think we can find a way. It’s remarkable, really, that we can be so bold in the face of the One who is, and was, and is to come!

Father, forgive us our indiscretions, our human weaknesses, the same weaknesses that led the throng to shout out, “Crucify him!” We humbly bow our heads at the mention of the name of Jesus, knowing we are not worthy and yet we are loved beyond all measure. Help us never to forget that beautiful truth.

Prayers

Celebrant: Our King has entered his city. Our palms and cries of homage fade away, as the words of the Gospel tell the story of his suffering and death. Let us bring our prayers to the Father, through the Son he gave up for us, with love beyond our comprehension.

READER: For the Church throughout the world following in the footsteps of our Savior during Holy Week, (Pause) LET US PRAY TO THE LORD.

READER: For peoples of all races, nations and cultures who seek peace, (Pause) LET US PRAY TO THE LORD.

READER: For those who suffer mental, physical or spiritual anguish especially during this difficult time of the pandemic, that the sufferings of our Lord may comfort and heal them, (Pause) LET US PRAY TO THE LORD.

READER: For a spirit of penance, reflection, and gratitude during these most sacred days, (Pause) LET US PRAY TO THE LORD.

READER: For the prayers we carry in our hearts, especially as we begin this journey of Holy Week, and for all the deceased members of our parish community, (Pause) LET US PRAY TO THE LORD.

CELEBRANT: Lord and Father, with serene courage your Son went forth to face his death for us. Grant us a share in his strength as we bring these prayers before you, through Christ, our Lord. (all) AMEN.

About the Author