HOMILY FOR PALM SUNDAY (THE PASSION OF OUR LORD), YEAR B. 28.03.2021.
 |
| Palm branches |
HAVE YOU EVER EXPERIENCED HUMILIATION?
Today we
celebrate the last Sunday of lent in the church’s liturgical calendar. Today’s
celebration begins the holy week, in which we have the climax of all liturgical
celebrations, that is, the highest event in the history of salvation. This
event begins with the triumphant entry into Jerusalem, where Christ will be handed
over to the chief priests and scribes, and they will condemn him to death as he
had earlier announced to his disciples (Mt 20:18). In view of this, the liturgy
of today presents Christ’s divinity and humanity, his ordeals, his
humiliations, sufferings and finally his exaltation. This event establishes his
Kingship and fulfils the prophecy of old.
The first
reading from the prophet Isaiah speaks of the suffering servant, a foretelling
of Christ’s passion, the servant of God who did not hide his face from spittle
and shame, who gave his back to those who struck him, and his cheeks to those
who pulled out his beard. The reading
speaks loudly of patience, humility and obedience as virtues expected of a true
child of God. Those who persevere to the end will certainly have their
reward and will never be put to shame. This prophesy of Isaiah already has a
connotation of humiliation of Christ, which appeared in both the second reading
and the Gospel.
The second
reading from the letter of St. Paul to
the Philippians presents the Christological hymn. This hymn is divided in three
parts: Chapter 2:6 expresses the divine nature of Christ, “He was in the form of God but did not count
equality with God, he emptied himself” (the kenosis), an expression of
Christ’s humility. In chapter 2:7-8 tells of the incarnation/crucifixion,
taking the nature of man, passed through humiliations, sufferings and death;
lastly is 2:9-11 the exaltation, given the name above every other name and his
return to his divine state. Christ’s
expression of humility made him subject himself to his creatures, which is
reflected in the passion narrative/Gospel.
The passion of Christ communicates something
important, that before the exaltation or the crown comes the cross. The cross
indicates to us a means of our salvation. It is also the story of our lives,
our failures and recovery as we see in Judas and Peter. The passion exposes true
friends as it did to Judas who betrayed the master and Peter who denied him.
It also exposes friends who smile before us, sing our praises, wine and dine
with us, but behind us, stabs us to death. It expresses the reality of man, how
unfaithful and unpredictable we can be at times, which also affects our
relationship with God and our fellow men. Each time we turn to sin or remain in
our sins, we betray and deny Christ again, strip him of his garment and keep
humiliating him daily. Let us be true friends that will stand by him at all
times.
As we begin this
great week, this holy week, let us religiously follow Christ to Calvary with
our pains, our worries, our sickness, our sorrows and our crosses, so that we
can die with him on Good Friday and rise with him on Easter Sunday. If anyone
feels he/she have suffered so much humiliation in this journey of faith, let us
remember that Christ took the lead and came out victoriously through
perseverance, humility and obedience. We too can do the same through Christ who
strengthens us. Amen!
Happy Palm
Sunday!
Fr. Kenneth
Dogbo, OSJ
Comments
Post a Comment