Palm Sunday, Passion Sunday April 13, 2025
Isaiah 50, 4-7; Philippians 2, 6-11; Luke 22, 14 - 23, 56
Constantine the Great was the first Christian Roman emperor. His father Constantius I, who succeeded Diocletian as emperor in AD 305, was a pagan with a soft heart for Christians. When he ascended the throne, he discovered that many Christians held important jobs in the government and in the court. So, he issued an executive order to all those Christians: "Either give up Christ or give up your jobs." The great majority of Christians gave up their jobs rather than disowning Christ. Only a few cowards gave up their religion rather than lose their jobs. The emperor was pleased with the majority who showed the courage of their convictions and gave their jobs back to them saying: "If you will not be true to your God you will not be true to me either."
Today, the Church is celebrating Palm Sunday, also known as Passion Sunday, to commemorate the beginning of Holy Week and Jesus’ final agonizing journey to the cross. The word passion comes from the Latin word Passio, meaning "to suffer," and we meditatively go with Jesus' sufferings.
Palm Sunday reminds the faithful of the glorious and triumphant entry of Jesus into Jerusalem. As Jesus entered Jerusalem, the crowds greeted him with shouts of joy and proclaimed him as the messianic king. They spread their cloaks on the ground and placed the palm branches on the street and shouted "Hosanna to the Son of David" and "Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord".
The Gospels inform us that Jesus came into the city riding upon a donkey, as prophesied by Prophet Zechariah, and thus underscored the humility that was to typify the Kingdom he preached. In ancient times, regional practice dictated that kings and nobles come in a procession so that they could ride upon the back of a donkey. The donkey was a symbol of peace and their riders announced peaceful intentions. Laying of palm branches meant that the king or dignitary was coming in victory or triumph.
As we listen to the Passion account, we are moved by the sudden change of mood. The same crowd that cried out in triumph "Hosanna!" now wails "Crucify Him!" It's a humbling reminder of how quickly human hearts can turn. When Jesus failed to deliver—when He failed to depose the Romans and demonstrate His kingship the way they hoped for—He was betrayed.
We could ask ourselves: how much different are we today? When life goes according to plan, we praise God's name. But when the pain comes, when God's plan is different from ours, how quickly do we doubt, complain, or walk away? Palm Sunday urges us to stand firm, to have faith in God's larger plan even when we don't see it.
One of the most compelling images in the Passion is the silence of Jesus. He doesn't speak up for Himself before Pilate. He doesn't strike back when ridiculed or battered. He petitions His murderers: "Father, forgive them; they know not what they do." This isn't weakness—it's God's strength. In silence, Jesus takes in the world's violence and hatred and reacts with mercy.
Luke's Gospel stresses Jesus' innocence. Pilate states it several times. The thief crucified beside Jesus admits it. Even the centurion, a Roman soldier, states, "Surely this man was innocent." Jesus is not dying for His own sins—He is dying for ours.
Perhaps the most poignant scene in Luke's Passion is the exchange between Jesus and the repentant thief. "Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom." And Jesus says, "Today, you will be with me in paradise." Even in His suffering, Jesus is already working to save souls. He doesn't wait until after the Resurrection to start His mission of redemption. Even in cross's darkness, there is light. Hope is never lost.
This reminds us that no one is beyond God's mercy. Even at the eleventh hour, the door to salvation remains open. Lent is a time for repentance, and Palm Sunday encourages us to make our own confession: "Jesus, remember me." And He will.
Luke alone documents the presence of Jerusalem's women, crying as Jesus walks to Calvary. Jesus, as the Shepherd that He is, pauses to address them. "Daughters of Jerusalem, do not weep for me; weep for yourselves and for your children." Jesus considers others, even in His agony. He beholds the pain that is to be upon the city and cautions them out of love.
Mary, the mother of Jesus, is also there. She sits at the foot of the cross, quiet and unwavering. Her witness reminds us that the Christian journey is not always one of success, but one of faithful perseverance. She doesn't flee. She doesn't attempt to do something about the situation. She just stays—out of love.
Palm Sunday is not a history lesson. It's a living drama that we are a part of. We are each invited to ask: where am I in this story?
Am I one of the crowd, cheering when things are going well but falling silent—or even turning away—when things get tough?
Am I like Peter, who vows faithfulness but denies Christ when the heat is on?
Am I such a Pilate, washing my hands of tough choices, declining to stand for truth?
Am I such a woman of Jerusalem, convicted of compassion, but as yet not fully willing to follow Him to the cross?
Or am I like the thief, acknowledging my sin and casting myself on the mercy of Jesus?
The Passion is not the end. But we have to go through it. The cross is the door to the Resurrection. Without Good Friday, there is no Easter Sunday. The way of the cross is the way of discipleship.
As we embark on Holy Week, let us accompany Jesus. Not merely in mind or ceremony, but from the heart. Let us be open to our own crosses, to walk among the suffering, and to hope in God's triumph—even amidst apparent defeat.
Let us not dash to Easter. Let us take a seat at the foot of the cross. Let us sit with Jesus in the garden, on the path to Calvary, and then at the empty tomb.
For in this pilgrimage, we find who Jesus is and who we are to be.
Finally, dear friends, let the words of Constantius I must be remembered:
"If you will not be true to your God, you will not be true to me either."
Wish you a grace-filled Holy Week
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