PALM SUNDAY [C] Is 50:4-7; Phil 2:6-11; Lk 22:14-23 -- 23: 56

One of the great blockbuster movies which made ripples across the world was The Passion of Christ by the Oscar winning Hollywood actor and director Mel Gibson. The movie is about the last twelve hours in the life of Jesus. In Texas, a 21 year old man, Dan Leach, murdered his wife, Nichole Wilson, and stage-managed it as if she had hanged herself. The post mortem said it was a suicide. Her mother found her body on January 19, 2004 in her apartment. Two months later Dan Leach went and surrendered himself to the police, saying he was the one who murdered his wife and made it look like a suicide. When the detectives asked him why he had surrendered, he said, "After watching the movie The Passion of Christ, I was compelled to seek redemption." The whole movie is one unrelenting violence and bloodshed endured by Jesus -all for our redemption. The common reaction after watching the movie is either deep silence of the audience or tear stained cheeks. After watching the movie one man said, "No matter what you are - whether you believe in Jesus or not, you will begin to love Jesus, who suffered for you."

It is on Palm Sunday that we enter Holy Week and welcome Jesus into our lives, asking him to allow us a share in his suffering, death and Resurrection. This is also the time we remember and relive the events which brought about our redemption and salvation.  That is why the Holy Week liturgy presents us with the actual events of the dying and rising of Jesus. 

Over one-third of the material in the four Gospels is devoted to that last week in the earthly life of Jesus. We call this part of each Gospel the Passion Narrative, for it tells of His entry into Jerusalem, the Last Supper, His arrest, the trials, His crucifixion. Perhaps all this can come alive for us in a different way if we turn off the picture and listen. We can use the ear instead of the eye, for if we hear, we are more apt to be drawn in. If we only watch, we may be mere spectators. (That is one of the reasons why we have the statues in the church covered up).So let's try to create a sound picture.

Let us remember that Holy Week can become "holy” for us only if we actively and consciously take part in the liturgies of this week. This is also the week when we should lighten the burden of Christ’s passion as daily experienced by the hungry, the poor, the sick, the homeless, the lonely and the outcast through our corporal and spiritual works of mercy.

Let’s find time this week to listen to the Passion narratives and ponder on its significance for our life.