Often a procession with Palms on the Sunday of the Lord's Passion is preceded by a text in the Roman Catholic Lectionary from the Gospel of Luke describing Jesus entry into Jerusalem.
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| Parade of Praise |
* [19:38] Blessed is the king who comes in the name of the Lord: only in Luke is Jesus explicitly given the title king when he enters Jerusalem in triumph. Luke has inserted this title into the words of Ps 118:26 that heralded the arrival of the pilgrims coming to the holy city and to the temple. Jesus is thereby acclaimed as king (see Lk 1:32) and as the one who comes (see Mal 3:1; Lk 7:19). Peace in heaven…: the acclamation of the disciples of Jesus in Luke echoes the announcement of the angels at the birth of Jesus (Lk 2:14). The peace Jesus brings is associated with the salvation to be accomplished here in Jerusalem.1
A reading from the Prophet Isaiah shares the promise of salvation through the Lord’s Servant.
* [50:5] The servant, like a well-trained disciple, does not refuse the divine vocation.2
Psalm 22 is important in the New Testament. Its opening words occur on the lips of the crucified Jesus (Mk 15:34; Mt 27:46).
* [Psalm 22] A lament unusual in structure and in intensity of feeling. The psalmist’s present distress is contrasted with God’s past mercy in Ps 22:2–12. In Ps 22:13–22 enemies surround the psalmist. The last third is an invitation to praise God (Ps 22:23–27), becoming a universal chorus of praise (Ps 22:28–31). The Psalm is important in the New Testament. Its opening words occur on the lips of the crucified Jesus (Mk 15:34; Mt 27:46), and several other verses are quoted, or at least alluded to, in the accounts of Jesus’ passion (Mt 27:35, 43; Jn 19:24).3
The Letter of Paul to the Philippians is a kenosis hymn that pleas for unity and humility.
* [2:6–11] Perhaps an early Christian hymn quoted here by Paul. The short rhythmic lines fall into two parts, Phil 2:6–8 where the subject of every verb is Christ, and Phil 2:9–11 where the subject is God. The general pattern is thus of Christ’s humiliation and then exaltation. More precise analyses propose a division into six three-line stanzas (Phil 2:6; 7abc, 7d–8, 9, 10, 11) or into three stanzas (Phil 2:6–7ab, 7cd–8, 9–11). Phrases such as even death on a cross (Phil 2:8c) are considered by some to be additions (by Paul) to the hymn, as are Phil 2:10c, 11c.4
The Gospel from Luke today is the source of Jesus passion narrative.
* [22:1–23:56a] The passion narrative. Luke is still dependent upon Mark for the composition of the passion narrative but has incorporated much of his own special tradition into the narrative. Among the distinctive sections in Luke are: (1) the tradition of the institution of the Eucharist (Lk 22:15–20); (2) Jesus’ farewell discourse (Lk 22:21–38); (3) the mistreatment and interrogation of Jesus (Lk 22:63–71); (4) Jesus before Herod and his second appearance before Pilate (Lk 23:6–16); (5) words addressed to the women followers on the way to the crucifixion (Lk 23:27–32); (6) words to the penitent thief (Lk 23:39–41); (7) the death of Jesus (Lk 23:46, 47b–49). Luke stresses the innocence of Jesus (Lk 23:4, 14–15, 22) who is the victim of the powers of evil (Lk 22:3, 31, 53) and who goes to his death in fulfillment of his Father’s will (Lk 22:42, 46). Throughout the narrative Luke emphasizes the mercy, compassion, and healing power of Jesus (Lk 22:51; 23:43) who does not go to death lonely and deserted, but is accompanied by others who follow him on the way of the cross (Lk 23:26–31, 49).5
Cindy Murphy McMahon comments tradition has it that some of the same people praising Jesus entry into Jerusalem were likely in the crowd a few days later yelling “Crucify him!” to Pontius Pilate. We often feel holier than thou and wonder how they could have possibly been so fickle, so easily swayed, so rootless in their spiritual depth. But we also know how we turn our backs to the good and the righteous when we don’t have all the facts, and even sometimes when we do.
The lesson for me in the days leading up to and including Palm Sunday will be to linger a little longer amid the palm-wavers. To feel their excitement, their enthusiasm for Jesus and his message. To reflect on his miraculous works and his soul-deep love. And to pray that the reality of the joy that comes from worshipping him will sustain me through the dark times until Easter’s rising, and each time I see the palms tucked beneath the cross in my living room.6
Don Schwager quotes “Follow the sacred Scriptures and thirst after the knowledge of the truth,” by Cyril of Alexandria (376-444).
"The Pharisees truly complained because Christ was praised. They came near and said, 'Rebuke your disciples.' O Pharisee, what wrong action did they do? What charge do you bring against the disciples or how would you rebuke them? They have not sinned in any way but have rather done what is praiseworthy. They extol as King and Lord the One the law had before pointed out by many symbols and types. The ancient company of the holy prophets had preached of him. You despised him and grieved him by your great jealousy. Your duty was to join the rest in their praises. Your duty was to withdraw far from your innate wickedness and to change your way for the better. Your duty was to follow the sacred Scriptures and to thirst after the knowledge of the truth. You did not do this, but transferring your words to the contrary, you wanted to rebuke the heralds of the truth." (excerpt from COMMENTARY ON LUKE, HOMILY 130)7
The Word Among Us Meditation on Luke 22:14–23:56 notes that reflecting on Jesus’ passion naturally creates a moment of sorrow in us. It saddens us to see Jesus suffer and be mistreated so much. But it can also help us. We can look at the cross and ask God to help us be more forgiving—just as Jesus was.
All of us will face false accusation or abuse or betrayal at some point in our lives. It’s likely that most of us already have. As we hear the passion today, let’s resolve to be as merciful as we can to everyone who has hurt us, ridiculed us, betrayed us, or tarnished our reputations. Let’s also agree never again to undermine someone or hurt someone.8
Friar Jude Winkler highlights some of the elements of the passion narrative that are unique to Luke. The realized eschatology of the Gospel of Luke is connected to the good thief crucified next to Jesus. Friar Jude points to the apologia that seeks to deflect blame from Rome and good Christian citizens in the Gospel of Luke.
Peter Edmonds SJ comments that serious meditation on the ‘kenosis hymn’ in the Letter to the Philippians will surely prepare us for a fruitful response to the passion story.
Generally, Paul as a pastor dealt with the problems he met with an appeal to theology. On this occasion, he inserts what is probably a hymn already known to his readers about the ‘emptying’ that was required to deal with selfishness and conceit. The best example he could give of ‘emptying’ (kenosis in Greek) was that of Christ himself. This took place in three stages. The first was his dignity as one who was pre-existent and equal to God. The second was his acceptance of the human condition and the humiliation in suffering the agony of death on a cross. The third was his exaltation by God which brought him the homage of all creation. What the prophet Isaiah had written long ago about God, that to him ‘every knee should bend’ (Isaiah 45:23), is now applied in the hymn to Jesus after his exaltation through resurrection (Philippians 2:6-11).9
Fr. Richard Rohr, OFM, cites French philosopher and historian René Girard (1923–2015) who recognized the highly effective scapegoat ritual across cultures and saw the scapegoat mechanism as a foundational principle for most social groups. The image of the scapegoat powerfully mirrors and reveals the universal, but largely unconscious, human need to transfer our guilt onto something or someone else by singling that other out for unmerited negative treatment. This pattern is seen in many facets of our society and our private, inner lives—so much so that we could almost name it “the sin of the world” (note that “sin” is singular in John 1:29). The biblical account, however, seems to recognize that only a “lamb of a God” can both reveal and resolve that sin in one nonviolent act.
Unless scapegoating can be consciously seen and named through concrete rituals, owned mistakes, shadow work, or “repentance,” the pattern will usually remain unconscious and unchallenged. The Scriptures rightly call such ignorant hatred and killing “sin,” and Jesus came precisely to “take away” (John 1:29) our capacity to commit it—by exposing the lie for all to see. Jesus stood as the fully innocent one who was condemned by the highest authorities of both “church and state” (Jerusalem and Rome), an act that should create healthy suspicion about how wrong even the highest powers can be. “He will show the world how wrong it was about sin, about who was really in the right, and about true judgment” (John 16:8).10
The opening scene for our contemplation of the events of our “Holy Week”observances is one that leads us to ponder our experience of praise becoming persecution and how Jesus models the Christian Way of transforming suffering to grace.
References
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(n.d.). Isaiah, chapter 50 - usccb. Retrieved April 14, 2019, from http://www.usccb.org/bible/isaiah/50
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(n.d.). Philippians, chapter 2 - usccb. Retrieved April 14, 2019, from http://www.usccb.org/bible/philippians/2
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(n.d.). Creighton U Daily Reflections - OnlineMinistries - Creighton University. Retrieved April 14, 2019, from http://onlineministries.creighton.edu/CollaborativeMinistry/daily.html
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(n.d.). Daily Scripture Readings and Meditations. Retrieved April 14, 2019, from https://dailyscripture.servantsoftheword.org/
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(n.d.). Palm Sunday of the Passion of the Lord - Mass Readings and Catholic .... Retrieved April 14, 2019, from https://wau.org/meditations/2019/04/14
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(2019, March 6). Preparing for Easter with St Paul | Thinking Faith: The online journal of .... Retrieved April 14, 2019, from https://www.thinkingfaith.org/articles/preparing-easter-st-paul
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(n.d.). Richard Rohr's Daily Meditations - Daily Meditations Archives .... Retrieved April 14, 2019, from https://cac.org/category/daily-meditations/
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