PALM SUNDAY

 

Readings: Mark 11:1-10 (Gospel for procession with Palms

                 Isaiah 50:4-7

                 Philippians 2:6-11

                 Mark 14:1-15;47

 

Before the procession:

 

 

“Hosanna! Blessings on him

who comes in the name of the Lord!”

 

 

            With this Sunday, we begin the most solemn occasion of the year: the Holy Week. Our liturgical celebration starts with the re-enactment of Christ's triumphant entry into Jerusalem. Thus, the palms we carry and the hosanna we chant are a reminder of David’s kingly grandeur as he was hailed Israel's great leader.

 

            This year’s narrative is taken from the version of St. Mark. For Mark Jesus’ entry into the holy city is quite decisive as regards his missions as messiah. He wants his people to make a final affirmation to his message. Thus, for the first and the last time, he allows himself to be hailed in a public proclamation that he is the messiah. And the people hail him with hosanna, expecting him to restore the Davidic kingship. He is the messiah who comes in the name of the Lord! Hence, the hosanna which originally means “lord let your salvation come,” or “grant us your salvation, Lord,” has come to mean “long live!” meaning, “long live to the Son of David.”

 

            This initial reaction of the people is the joyful part of the story. Their rallying behind Jesus, their waving with palms and their chanting in unison seem to express allegiance to Christ. But sadly, they end up rejecting him, condemning him. And what a bitter condemnation: death on a cross! This, then, is the sad counterpart of the story. This constitutes the sorrowful mood of today’s celebration. And certainly, this leads us to meditate on the passion of our Lord.

 

The passion of the Lord:

 

 

“Am I a brigand that you had to set out

to capture me with swords and clubs?”

 

 

            Mark’s version is the oldest and the shortest. Although the essentials are quite the same in all three synoptic gospels, there are individual characteristics which are so noticeable. Among others, the Markan account on Christ’s passion tries to impart the message of Christ’s humanity. And as it portrays how human Christ is, it also reveals that other characters of the passion story are that human too.

 

            “Simon, are you asleep? Had you not the strength to keep awake one hour? To should be awake, and praying not to be put to the test. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak.” --- Perhaps, Peter can well stand in behalf of the many conflicting characters in the passion story. Aside from the mere onlookers and bystanders, there are just those active participants whom we can identify through general groupings. There are those who belong to the extreme one side who desire the death of Jesus right from the start. They are the Jewish religious leaders, and perhaps we can include Judas Iscariot who sided with them. On the other opposite side, there are those who go with Jesus side by side until his death on Calvary. Though few and “weak”, we can identify them as Mary and the women. With them is the lone apostle, John.       

 

            Peter stands at the middle. At first, he vows to be faithful. He pledges to be different. “Even if all lose faith, I will not.” This is quite understandable since he is just so close to Jesus, and Jesus is dear to him. However, his human weakness prevails. Over and above his honest intentions, what we see is a human Peter. He wants to be with Jesus at every stage of his painful ordeal, but he is no John who stays with the lord at the foot of the cross. But neither does he depart from the Lord forever, for he is no Judas, either. He simply becomes so afraid as to flee from his friend, and so weak as to disown his master. At most, we may say that Peter’s faith really fails. But his consequent regret reveals us who he really is: Peter, the man!

 

            If the disciples prove that weak, what about their master? We know for a fact that Jesus is not that weak as to escape from this horrible challenge. He stands till the end. He gives his last, even that last drop of his blood. But certainly, the Markan Jesus is just that human as anybody else is. He feels the pain of being betrayed by a friend, exclaiming: “Better for that man if he had never been born.” He is filled with fear and terror in Gethsemane where he even prays three times just to be strengthened. Yet, he still sheds tears of blood, begging his Father to spare him. “Father, everything is possible for you. Take his cup away from me. But let it be as you, not I, would have it.” He is hurt by the insults and mockeries of his enemies. When almost everybody runs away, we can just imagine how he feels isolated, abandoned and alone, taking everything all by himself.

 

            The agony pierces his both body and soul as his torturers whip him, scourge him at the pillar and crown him with thorns. As he takes p his cross upon his shoulders, he realizes how long and winding the road to Calvary is. Certainly, the load seems unbearable without Simon of Cyrene. And when at last nailed on the cross, breathing almost his last, he sighs as if with deep regrets why should his Father forsake him at an hour when he needs him most. “My God, my God, why have you deserted me?”

 

            Indeed, Jesus, the God, is also a man! Ecce Homo!

 

            The Markan version is carefully and purposely narrated in such a manner as to make it clear that the passion shown is not a fashion show. The paschal mystery is real, not an illusion. That Christ suffered and died is a matter of fact and not just a matter of thought. With this, the message Mark wants to impart becomes evident. Aside from being a fulfillment of scripture, the salvation brought by Christ has this evangelic significance: as his suffering goes directly down to earth, man’s own suffering is raised directly “up to the heavens.” This goes to say that man’s passion is elevated to the level of the Lord’s passion, because the Lord’s passion levels itself with man’s passion. As the divine is humanized, so too the human is divinized.