Palm Sunday of the Lord’s Passion - Cycle B

Readings: Mark 11:1-10, Isaiah 50:4-7, Psalm 22 “My God, my God, why have you abandoned me?”,    Philippians 2:6-11, Mark 14:1 - 15:47
Dear brothers and sisters,
May the grace and peace of the Lord be with you. May your heart sing with the joy and hope of the Lord as we enter the Holy week. This Sunday is Palm Sunday and our song is “Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! Blessed is the kingdom of our father David that is to come! Hosanna in the highest!”
St Andrew of Crete, in his sermon 9 on Palm Sunday says “Come, and as we make our way up to the Mount of Olives, let us go out to meet Christ, who is returning today from Bethany, and of his own will makes haste towards his most venerable and revered passion, whereby he will bring to fulfillment the mystery of the salvation of mankind.”

This week, we recall the entry of Jesus into Jerusalem and we hear again the story of the passion. But why should we remember the passion of Jesus? Why keep alive the memory of such anguish and pain? Aren’t we supposed to forget about the past pain and hurt, and let them disappear if they can?

As Christians we are committed to be a people who remembers the passion of Jesus. Remembering it encourages us to take the decision that this should not happen again. There should be no innocent victims. That memory also serves to make us aware of the crosses that are in our midst. It encourages us to pay  attention to the suffering of others. But above all it reminds us of what God has done for us. As we enter into this Holy Week, I would like to encourage you to take advantage of the opportunities the Lord has gifted us. Receive most devout Our Blessed Lord in the Holy Communion on the great days of the week, Holy Thursday and Good Friday, and surely on Easter Sunday, that your peace and joy may be as full as possible. I wish to thank you sincerely for your kindness and generosity at this time.
Have a blissful Holy
Week.
Fr. Paschal Chester, svd