Sunday 5th
April 2020. Read Matthew 21:1-11, Isaiah 50:4-7, Philippians 2:6-11, Matthew
26:14-27:66
“Most of
the crowd spread their garments on the road, and others cut branches from the
trees and spread them on the road. And the crowds that went before him and that
followed him shouted, ‘Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessed is he who comes in
the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest!’” (Matthew 21:8-9)
Dear
friends, I welcome you to Holy Week, 2020. This year would go down in history
as one year that God’s Children could not gather physically due to the
pandemic. That notwithstanding, no atom of holiness should be removed from our
Holy Week spirituality. Even though we cannot see the physical drama we are
used to, we are to participate fully by allowing that drama to take place within
our souls.
One word
that readily comes to mind at the beginning of the Passion Narrative is
Betrayal. Have I betrayed people’s trust, told lies against them or leaked out
certain secret information for the sake of money, fame, position or some
privileges?
Have I
acted like Peter; bragging before people only to let them down in their
absence?
Jesus took
the disciples to the Garden of Gethsemane to pray but instead, they started
sleeping. How deep and serious is my prayer life? Am I able to watch for one
hour with Jesus every day? Do I command God to do my will in prayer instead of
simply praying as Jesus prayed: “Let your will, not mine be done.”
Judas
betrayed Jesus with a kiss, a symbol of love. Do I pretend to love people
whereas I am killing them? Am I a friend by day and an enemy at night?
Jesus told
Peter not to fight with his sword. How do I treat my enemies?
Eventually
the disciples fled for their lives. Do I stick with my friends when things
become rough or abandon them when it seems I can no longer benefit from them?
The
Sanhedrin judged Jesus and convicted him of blasphemy. As an authority figure,
how do I judge cases? Am I concerned about the truth or do I simply bow to the
pressure of the crowd?
Both Peter
and Judas realized their sins but while Peter came back to ask forgiveness,
Judas went off to hang himself. Do I feel that my sins are too much or that God
cannot forgive me? What I have done about my guilty conscience?
Before the
Governor, Jesus was silent. When I am accused of something I am innocent of, do
I rush too quickly to defend myself?
The
Governor asked the people to choose between Barabbas and Jesus but they
rejected Jesus forgetting all the good things they had received from him in the
past. When faced with temptation, do I reject Jesus by choosing Barabbas (by consenting
to sin)?
Then comes
Simon of Cyrene who was forced to carry the Cross with Jesus. How often have I
helped others to carry their crosses? Do I delight in making sacrifices for the
benefit of others?
Many
joined in mocking Jesus. Do I respect God and holy things? Do I insult God when
I don’t get answers to my prayers? Jesus cried: “My God, my God why have you
forsaken me.” If God, the Father could forsake Jesus, who am I to assume I will
always get what I want?
Even after
the death of Jesus, the chief priests and Pharisees (knowing that Jesus had
predicted his resurrection) gathered before Pilate to ask for soldiers to guard
the tomb. Do I believe more in military power than in the power of God?
Isaiah
prophesied about Christ how he would not speak or attack his persecutors. Indeed,
Jesus Christ humbled himself like a sheep being led to slaughter. As St. Paul
tells the Philippians, let us learn to be humble, to empty ourselves and allow
God’s will prevail in our lives.
Dear
friends, at the end of this reflection, one question we should ask is: “What
would I have done differently?” Better put; “How am I different from those who
killed Jesus?” This year’s Holy Week will be unique because we are not able to
gather physically in our churches due to the pandemic.
We surely
miss the old days, we miss how we would dramatize the whole activities of Holy
Week, how we would sing “Hosanna” and try to rub ourselves on the ground during
the procession. Perhaps we are too used to turning everything into mere
entertainment. Perhaps, God allowed all this to happen because he is tired of
our hypocrisy. This is time now for us to be real. This is the time for us to
spread the palm branches of our very lives for Jesus to pass. It is time for us
to allow our good deeds speak louder than our church attendance. It is time for
us to repent.
Let us
Pray: Lord Jesus, as I reflect on your death, help me also die to my sins.
Amen.
Happy
Sunday. Be Happy. Live Positive. Have Faith. It is well with you. God bless
you. (Palm Sunday. Year A. Bible Study: Matthew 21:1-11, Isaiah 50:4-7,
Philippians 2:6-11, Matthew 26:14-27:66)
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