Palm Sunday

We are all old enough and wise enough to acknowledge that every family has its secrets and every family has achievements about which it can boast.  Our world has always been rather merciless about those who deny the existence of one while enjoying the accolades of the other.

It was into this world of ours that God, the creator of all worlds, decided to be born as our brother.  His birth among us made us sons and daughters of God and with our potential for good, we could follow His Son who would be “our way, our truth and our light.”  

Unfortunately, not all people accepted God’s love and in our second reading today, St Paul depicts Jesus taking all our sins upon Himself and asking God’s mercy for us.

In Luke’s account of the Passion, he relates that before Jesus goes forth from the supper room to face His crucifixion, He  asks the apostles to reveal some of their “secrets”.  There is a traitor among them, he says, who even as he shared the meal with them intended betraying Jesus to the authorities.  Judas however, does not reveal his identity till after his act of treachery.  His “Not I Rabbi, surely,” must have wounded Jesus deeply. 

Then an argument broke out amongst the apostles about which of them should be regarded as the greatest.  Even John the beloved apostle was involved in this heated discussion which had taken place on previous occasions.  Finally comes the awful prophecy of Peter’s threefold denial and the cowardly desertion by the twelve.

Each time we celebrate Eucharist, do we hear the Word of God with its particular message for us, or are our thoughts sometimes elsewhere?  Do we take the Word away with us and dwell on it, relating it to the people and circumstances of each day?  If we don’t, it is like “the seed that fell among thorns, and the thorns grew up with it and choked it.” 

“Do this in memory of Me” must also be active in forming us for service to God’s people.  These words must ring bells in our minds and hearts, and as we take our palms home this Holy Week, we join with Him in doing what He did.  We must continue to give our lives for the lives of others.

• Can we forgive those who trespass against us as Christ forgave us?
• Can we forgive ourselves and forget who we are, and concentrate on what we do?
• Do we realise that happiness comes from making others happy?   

Pat Barrett OP