Today (Palm Sunday) some of our partnership deacons were meant to be preaching after today’s gospel at Mass. As public Masses are now suspended and the bishop’s pastoral letter had to read out today no-one was able to hear the deacon’s homilies. So, here is Deacon David Westgarth’s Palm Sunday homily for you to read:
Palm Sunday Homily
Today we enter Holy Week, a week of differing emotions. At the start we witness the triumphant entry of Jesus into Jerusalem and end it with his Passion and Death on the cross.
Jesus enters Jerusalem. The disciples accompany him in festive mood, they are greeted by a great crowd also in festive mood, their garments are stretched out before him, there is talk of the miracles he has accomplished, and loud praises are heard: ‘Blessings on him who comes in the name of the Lord. Hosanna in the highest heavens. Hosanna which translates from Hebrew as God Saves.
In his Palm Sunday homily from a few years ago Pope Francis speaks of the joy at that moment.
“Crowds, celebrating, praise, blessing, peace: joy fills the air. Jesus has awakened great hopes, especially in the hearts of the simple, the humble, the poor, the forgotten, those who do not matter in the eyes of the world. He understands human sufferings, he has shown the face of God’s mercy, he has bent down to heal body and soul.”
“This is Jesus. This is his heart that looks upon all of us, who sees our sicknesses, our sins. Jesus’ love is great. And so He enters into Jerusalem with this love and looks upon all of us. It is a beautiful scene, full of light—the light of Jesus’ love, of his heart—joy, and celebration.”
Some of that crowd had met Jesus and listened to his teaching and preaching, for most, however, this was their first encounter and they had come to meet the man they had heard so much about, the man they believed to be the messiah who had come to free them, the redeemer promised by God himself to their fore fathers. They had waited with eager anticipation at the arrival of Jesus as they wanted to witness first hand his teaching and to witness the miracles he had worked and, of course, hoped he would work some in their presence.
Jesus had toured the lands and countryside around Jerusalem for three years spreading his message of the Kingdom of God being close at hand, challenging the ancient laws of the Jewish people and trying to put a modern perspective on them and also laying down a challenge to all those who listened to him to change and repent of their sinfulness so that they could embrace the Kingdom. There was no problem in the crowds accepting Jesus as a prophet. Many people saw him that way because his teachings and works were like those of the great prophets of the past, Elijah, Jeremiah or John the Baptist. They recognized Jesus’ knowledge of the scriptures and appreciated his wisdom. Seeing Jesus doing the works of a prophet such as healing the sick, casting out demons, calming storms, multiplying loaves and fishes and even raising the dead they realized that Jesus was no ordinary man, but a man with special divine power. This was a difficult message and not everyone could or was willing to accept it.
Clearly it threatened the Jewish way of life especially for the Chief Priests and Elders who saw Jesus as a threat to their authority.
Jesus entered into Jerusalem that day through the joyous crowd knowing the danger that awaited him and his disciples, he knew himself that it was here that the great glory of God would be manifest through him just as he had predicted to his close apostles.
What went wrong? Why within a short period of time from his joyful entry into the city were the same crowd who cheered him then baying for blood now, wanting Jesus to be crucified and they even shouted for the release of Barabbas, a thief and a murderer. Was their welcome for Jesus superficial and their shouts not mean anything? It is easy to be part of a crowd; it is more difficult to stand out from that crowd. It is easy to be part of the crowd that receives first Holy Communion, it is easy to be part of the crowd that fills a church for a wedding or a funeral, but how many of that crowd stand out and give public witness to our faith?
In the account of the Passion we have just heard the crowd was not there for Jesus when he needed them most. They turned against him. The crowd did not go to the cross. Only a few women, his Mother and John went to the cross. So much for the crowd; they abandoned him.
Even Peter who Jesus had chosen to lead the church after his death, the same Peter who made great promises at the last supper denied he knew Jesus three times a few hours later, also abandoning him in his hour of need. Jesus went through his passion and to his death on the cross almost alone, his disciples and Apostles scattered and frightened to show their support and allegiance to Jesus, the same Jesus with whom they had lived closely for three years.
In truth we are that crowd, the same crowd who welcomed Jesus into Jerusalem and quickly abandoned him when times got rough. We readily accept Jesus into our lives and through the gift of Faith accept him as the Son of God, we make promises to him to carry out his will but what do we do when temptation or difficulty comes our way or we are called to serve him in a special way. How do we react?
Are we like Peter who gave into the pressure of temptation or do we stand like the few women, his Mother and John at the foot of the cross following Jesus to the end. The Passion Narrative moves us as we hear how Jesus was treated by his own people, how he was interrogated and tortured and how he suffered before and during his crucifixion. Jesus went to his death not just because the chief priests and the cruel Roman soldiers brought it about; it was our sins that inflicted this suffering on Jesus. He died on the Cross for us.
The Passion of Jesus shows us up for what we are – sinners who have crucified Jesus – and in the Sacrament of Reconciliation we turn to Jesus again and ask for his mercy. And through the Passion of Jesus we receive forgiveness, “through his wounds we are healed.”
Maybe we should not waste this week, rather make it holy if we could find time to spend with Jesus meditating on his Passion.
At the beginning of mass, we welcomed Jesus as the crowd did waving palms and singing Hosanna. We expressed our Joy at accompanying him knowing that he is close to us to us as a friend but also a king – a shining beacon to light up the path of our lives.
This is how we welcomed him today, let us not abandon him tomorrow.