Palms Sunday of the Lord’s Passion [March 25, 2018] Mark 11:1-10; Mk 14:1—15:47
“Though he was in the form of God…Rather, he emptied himself, taking the form of a slave…” (Phil. 2:6-7)
We are celebrating the Palm Sunday of the Lord’s Passion. In today’s celebration, we have the only liturgical celebration in which two different Gospel readings are read. The first Gospel, usually read outside the Church, is about the triumphal entry of Jesus into Jerusalem, and the second Gospel narrates the Passion of Jesus Christ. Reflecting on the two readings, we listen to two different and even opposing themes: triumph and defeat. These are two fundamental themes, not only in the life of Jesus, but in our lives as well.
The triumphal entry into Jerusalem represents our times of success and great joy. It is when we achieve something precious in our lives. These are moments like when we accomplish our studies, when we gain new and promising work, or when we welcome the birth of a family’s newest member. These are the “Up” events of life. While the Passion story speaks of times of defeat and great sorrow. It is when we experience great losses in our lives. There are moments like when we fail decisive examinations or projects, whenwe lose our jobs, or we experience death in the family. These are the “Down” events of life. Passing through these Upsand Downs of life, Jesus teaches us valuable lessons. In times of triumph, like Jesus riding on the colt, we are challenged to remain humble and grateful. In moments of defeat, like Jesus who embraces His sufferings, we are invited to patiently bear these moments and offer them to the Lord.
However, there is something more than this. If we read the second reading from the letter of Paul to the Philippians (2:6-11), we listen to one of the most beautiful hymns in the New Testament that affirms both the divinity and humanity of Christ. If we believe that Jesus is God become man , then God does not only give us success or allow us to undergo suffering but in Jesus, God experiences what it means to be successful as well as to fail. This point is a radical departure from an image of God that is distant yet controlling, or a kind of a teddy bear that we can hug during crying moments, or a trophy we can parade in our victorious time. Our God is one with us in all our experience of joy and sadness, of triumph and defeat.
In the Book of Genesis chapter 3, we read the first story of human failure. Adam and Eve were deceived by the serpent and disobeyed God. It is true that our first parents failed God, and they had to leave the Garden of Eden. Yet, God did not cease to care for them. God made them garments of skin to cloth them, as to cover their nakedness and give them protection. God prepared them to face the harsh life outside the Garden. However, there is something even more remarkable. After Genesis 3, we will never read again about the Garden and what happens inside, but rather the stories of Adam, Eve and their descendants. Why? Because God did not choose to stay in the Garden, and just watch things through a giant LCD monitor, but rather He followed our first parents and walked with them. He accompanied them, struggled with them, cried with them and shared their happiness. Truly, the Bible is a book about God and His people.
As we enter the Holy Week, may we find time to reflect: How is God sharing in our ups and downs? Have we become a good companion to our friends in their ups and downs? Do we accompany Jesus in his way of the cross and resurrection?
Br. Valentinus Bayuhadi Ruseno, OP