Through His Wounds We Are Healed
Palm Sunday
This Sunday is the only Sunday in the liturgical year that we have read two gospels. One is the gospel of the triumphant entrance of Jesus in Jerusalem where the very large crowd spread their cloaks while other cut branches from the trees crying out saying “Hosanna to the Son of David; blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord; hosanna in the highest.” After this gospel is proclaimed there is a procession with palms to the church where the other gospel is proclaimed. This is the gospel of the Passion of our Lord Jesus Christ. For this reason, we call this Sunday Palm Sunday of the Lord’s Passion. Something that really struck me is the fact in the gospel of the entrance of Jerusalem, people wanted to make Jesus their King and called him “Son of David” that is the messiah.
“Flevit super illam” (He wept over it); by Enrique Simonet, 1892
In the gospel of the Passion of the Lord, however, when Jesus was in the presence of Pilato the elders persuaded the crowds to destroy Jesus who shouted “Let him be crucified.” As we begin Holy Week, I would like to invite you to really reflect in these two gospels and ask ourselves this question: to what crowd do we belong to? The one that recognizes Jesus as King and messiah; or the one who cries out: “Let him be crucified.” ? To make Jesus our King and Lord is to let him be the center of our lives; the way we think, the way love, the way we live. I really hope and pray that we are part of this group.
During the week ahead meditate on the Passion of Jesus. Do not waste this week. Spend this week with Jesus meditating on his Passion. Come to the Mass of the Lord’s Supper on Holy Thursday, the celebration of the Lord’s Passion on Good Friday and Easter Vigil on Holy Saturday night. The crowd which welcomed Jesus with palms turned against him just as quickly and abandoned Jesus. Peter too turned from Jesus to save himself. See what we have done to Jesus. Let us come back to him there is no better time than this because “through his wounds we are healed.”
“Jesus Christ, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be used to his own advantage; rather, he made himself nothing by taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness and being found in appearance as a man he humbled himself by becoming obedient to death—even death on a cross!” (Philippians 2:4-8)
Readings for the Week
Monday: Is 42:1-7; Ps 27:1-3, 13-14; Jn 12:1-11
Tuesday: Is 49:1-6; Ps 71:1-6, 15, 17; Jn 13:21-33, 36-38
Wednesday: Is 50:4-9a; Ps 69:8-10, 21-22, 31, 33-34; Mt 26:14-25
Thursday:
Chrism Mass: Is 61:1-3ab, 6a, 8b-9; Ps 89:21-22, 25, 27; Rv 1:5-8; Lk 4:16-21
Lord’s Supper: Ex 12:1-8, 11-14; Ps 116:12-13, 15-16bc, 17-18; 1 Cor 11:23-26; Jn 13:1-15
Friday: Is 52:13 — 53:12; Ps 31:2, 6, 12-13, 15-16, 17, 25; Heb 4:14-16; 5:7-9; Jn 18:1 — 19:42
Saturday:
a) Gn 1:1 — 2:2 [1:1, 26-31a]; Ps 104:1-2, 5-6, 10, 12, 13-14, 24, 35; or Ps 33:4-7, 12-13, 20-22;
b) Gn 22:1-18 [1-2, 9a, 10-13, 15-18]; Ps 16: 5, 8-11;
c) Ex 14:15 — 15:1; Ex 15:1-6, 17-18;
d) Is 54:5-14; Ps 30:2, 4-6, 11-13;
e) Is 55:1-11; Is 12:2-6;
f) Bar 3:9-15, 32 — 4:4; Ps 19:8-11;
g) Ez 36:16-17a, 18-28; Ps 42:3, 5; 43:3-4 or Is 12:2-3, 4bcd, 5-6 or Ps 51:12-15, 18-19;
h) Rom 6:3-11; i) Mt 28:1-10
Sunday: Acts 10:34a, 37-43; Ps 118:1-2, 16-17, 22-23; Col 3:1-4 or 1 Cor 5:6b-8; Jn 20:1-9 or Mt 28:1-10 or (at an afternoon or evening Mass) Lk 24:13-35
Saints and Special Observances
Sunday: Palm Sunday of the Passion of the Lord; Julian Calendar Palm Sunday
Monday: Monday of Holy Week; Passover (Jewish celebration) begins at sunset
Tuesday: Tuesday of Holy Week
Wednesday: Wednesday of Holy Week
Thursday: Holy Thursday; The Sacred Paschal Triduum
Friday: Friday of the Passion of the Lord (Good Friday); Julian Calendar Good Friday; Fast and Abstinence
Saturday: Holy Saturday; The Easter Vigil in the Holy Night
We should glory in the cross of our Lord Jesus Christ, in whom is our salvation, life and resurrection; through whom we are saved and delivered.
—Entrance Antiphon, Evening Mass of the Lord’s Supper, Roman Missal