Palm Sunday of the Lord’s Passion
Lectionary: 37 and 37
At the Procession with Palms - Gospel
Jesus proceeded on his journey up to Jerusalem.
As he drew near to Bethphage and Bethany
at the place called the Mount of Olives,
he sent two of his disciples.
He said, “Go into the village opposite you,
and as you enter it you will find a colt tethered
on which no one has ever sat.
Untie it and bring it here.
And if anyone should ask you,
‘Why are you untying it?’
you will answer,
‘The Master has need of it.’”
So those who had been sent went off
and found everything just as he had told them.
And as they were untying the colt, its owners said to them,
“Why are you untying this colt?”
They answered,
“The Master has need of it.”
So they brought it to Jesus,
threw their cloaks over the colt,
and helped Jesus to mount.
As he rode along,
the people were spreading their cloaks on the road;
and now as he was approaching the slope of the Mount of Olives,
the whole multitude of his disciples
began to praise God aloud with joy
for all the mighty deeds they had seen.
They proclaimed:
“Blessed is
the king who comes
in the name of the Lord.
Peace in
heaven
and glory in the highest.”
Some of the Pharisees in the crowd said to him,
“Teacher, rebuke your disciples.”
He said in reply,
“I tell you, if they keep silent,
the stones will cry out!”
At the Mass – Reading I
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.”
R 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.
R 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.
R 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!”
R My God, my God, why have you abandoned me?
Reading II
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
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
When the hour came,
Jesus took his place at table with the apostles.
He said to them,
“I have eagerly desired to eat this Passover with you before I suffer,
for, I tell you, I shall not eat it again
until there is fulfillment in the kingdom of God.”
Then he took a cup, gave thanks, and said,
“Take this and share it among yourselves;
for I tell you that from this time on
I shall not drink of the fruit of the vine
until the kingdom of God comes.”
Then he took the bread, said the blessing,
broke it, and gave it to them, saying,
“This is my body, which will be given for you;
do this in memory of me.”
And likewise the cup after they had eaten, saying,
“This cup is the new covenant in my blood,
which will be shed for you.
“And yet behold, the hand of the one who is to betray me
is with me on the table;
for the Son of Man indeed goes as it has been determined;
but woe to that man by whom he is betrayed.”
And they began to debate among themselves
who among them would do such a deed.
Then an argument broke out among them
about which of them should be regarded as the greatest.
He said to them,
“The kings of the Gentiles lord it over them
and those in authority over them are addressed as ‘Benefactors’;
but among you it shall not be so.
Rather, let the greatest among you be as the youngest,
and the leader as the servant.
For who is greater:
the one seated at table or the one who serves?
Is it not the one seated at table?
I am among you as the one who serves.
It is you who have stood by me in my trials;
and I confer a kingdom on you,
just as my Father has conferred one on me,
that you may eat and drink at my table in my kingdom;
and you will sit on thrones
judging the twelve tribes of Israel.
“Simon, Simon, behold Satan has demanded
to sift all of you like wheat,
but I have prayed that your own faith may not fail;
and once you have turned back,
you must strengthen your brothers.”
He said to him,
“Lord, I am prepared to go to prison and to die with you.”
But he replied,
“I tell you, Peter, before the cock crows this day,
you will deny three times that you know me.”
He said to them,
“When I sent you forth without a money bag or a sack or sandals,
were you in need of anything?”
“No, nothing, “ they replied.
He said to them,
“But now one who has a money bag should take it,
and likewise a sack,
and one who does not have a sword
should sell his cloak and buy one.
For I tell you that this Scripture must be fulfilled in me,
namely, He was counted among the wicked;
and indeed what is written about me is coming to fulfillment.”
Then they said,
“Lord, look, there are two swords here.”
But he replied, “It is enough!”
Then going out, he went, as was his custom, to the Mount of Olives,
and the disciples followed him.
When he arrived at the place he said to them,
“Pray that you may not undergo the test.”
After withdrawing about a stone’s throw from them and kneeling,
he prayed, saying, “Father, if you are willing,
take this cup away from me;
still, not my will but yours be done.”
And to strengthen him an angel from heaven appeared to him.
He was in such agony and he prayed so fervently
that his sweat became like drops of blood
falling on the ground.
When he rose from prayer and returned to his disciples,
he found them sleeping from grief.
He said to them, “Why are you sleeping?
Get up and pray that you may not undergo the test.”
While he was still speaking, a crowd approached
and in front was one of the Twelve, a man named Judas.
He went up to Jesus to kiss him.
Jesus said to him,
“Judas, are you betraying the Son of Man with a kiss?”
His disciples realized what was about to happen, and they asked,
“Lord, shall we strike with a sword?”
And one of them struck the high priest’s servant
and cut off his right ear.
But Jesus said in reply,
“Stop, no more of this!”
Then he touched the servant’s ear and healed him.
And Jesus said to the chief priests and temple guards
and elders who had come for him,
“Have you come out as against a robber, with swords and clubs?
Day after day I was with you in the temple area,
and you did not seize me;
but this is your hour, the time for the power of darkness.”
After arresting him they led him away
and took him into the house of the high priest;
Peter was following at a distance.
They lit a fire in the middle of the courtyard and sat around it,
and Peter sat down with them.
When a maid saw him seated in the light,
she looked intently at him and said,
“This man too was with him.”
But he denied it saying,
“Woman, I do not know him.”
A short while later someone else saw him and said,
“You too are one of them”;
but Peter answered, “My friend, I am not.”
About an hour later, still another insisted,
“Assuredly, this man too was with him,
for he also is a Galilean.”
But Peter said,
“My friend, I do not know what you are talking about.”
Just as he was saying this, the cock crowed,
and the Lord turned and looked at Peter;
and Peter remembered the word of the Lord,
how he had said to him,
“Before the cock crows today, you will deny me three times.”
He went out and began to weep bitterly.
The men who held Jesus in custody were ridiculing and beating him.
They blindfolded him and questioned him, saying,
“Prophesy! Who is it that struck you?”
And they reviled him in saying many other things against him.
When day came the council of elders of the people met,
both chief priests and scribes,
and they brought him before their Sanhedrin.
They said, “If you are the Christ, tell us, “
but he replied to them, “If I tell you, you will not believe,
and if I question, you will not respond.
But from this time on the Son of Man will be seated
at the right hand of the power of God.”
They all asked, “Are you then the Son of God?”
He replied to them, “You say that I am.”
Then they said, “What further need have we for testimony?
We have heard it from his own mouth.”
Then the whole assembly of them arose and brought him 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.
Now there was a virtuous and righteous man named Joseph who,
though he was a member of the council,
had not consented to their plan of action.
He came from the Jewish town of Arimathea
and was awaiting the kingdom of God.
He went to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus.
After he had taken the body down,
he wrapped it in a linen cloth
and laid him in a rock-hewn tomb
in which no one had yet been buried.
It was the day of preparation,
and the sabbath was about to begin.
The women who had come from Galilee with him followed behind,
and when they had seen the tomb
and the way in which his body was laid in it,
they returned and prepared spices and perfumed oils.
Then they rested on the sabbath according to the commandment.
MY BROTHERS AND SISTERS,
Today marks the beginning of Holy Week, a journey we take with Jesus Christ marked with the celebration of His Passion, The Last Supper, The Crucifixion, and His glorious Resurrection. Our Lenten Journey continues and now has become more intense. We have this remembrance of Jesus’ triumphant entrance into Jerusalem being proclaimed The Messiah, only to be then rejected by everyone; even those who knew Him most intimately. We are challenged to ask ourselves how many times in our lives we have done the same thing. How many times have we basked in the Glory of Jesus Christ, experiencing His unconditional love for us and being transformed by the experience? How many times have we been witnesses to the healing power of His Divine Mercy? How many times have we been in the place of those who welcomed Him into Jerusalem laying palms at His feet, only to spit on Him and insult Him later through our sinful thoughts and actions? We are the Jews. We are the Romans. We are all those who caused so much harm and pain on someone who did not deserve it. He is our savior and our God, yet we have continuously fallen short in acknowledging this.
The vestments that we wear are red, symbolizing the blood that Jesus shed for our sins and our salvation. It is through this blood that we have been redeemed. Today this blood is recognized and glorified. The Suffering Christ on the Cross is a constant reminder of that fact. As the Apostle Paul proclaimed, “We preach the Crucified Christ!” There is no Resurrection without The Crucifixion.” Christ suffered a most horrendous death so as to conquer death, revealing God’s glorious plan for us who are His children. What a wonderful and beautiful act. It was and always will be an act of pure love. It we are to be fully committed to our faith and to our God, then we must let these acts affect us on a spiritual, mental, and physical level. We need to let Christ’s pain become our pain and let His suffering become our suffering. It is through suffering that a beautiful grace is encountered. It is a constant reminder that the price for our sins has already been paid through The Blood of the Cross.
What are to do in reaction to what our savior did for us? How can we repay Him who has everything? He wants nothing more than us to love Him and to react to His love. To do this we need to follow His example. As He instructed his Apostles:
“Rather, let the greatest among you be as the youngest,
and the leader as the servant.
For who is greater:
the one seated at table or the one who serves?
Is it not the one seated at table?”
We should all be servants and slaves to Him, each in the capacity that we can do so. We should not aspire to things on this earth but more things that are from heaven, just as our heavenly Father dwells in heaven. Our hearts, minds, and souls should be transfixed on that which is eternal. When the eternal takes precedent over that which is from the earth, then we are more apt to do things in the name of Jesus then for ourselves. Selflessness in the Image of Jesus Christ is the way to go, for we were created in His image. That image includes The Crucified Christ.
To enter The Lord’s Passion, we should meditate on the images set forth in The Gospel Reading today. Today is the greatest day, for we have begun the final days of our journey. This part of our journey which continue own journey down into the darkness, into the deepest recesses of a tomb. We have no fear of this, for we know what is waiting on the other side: The Light that always conquers the darkness. The Light of Jesus Christ.
Deacon Tom
