Homily For The Palm Sunday Of the Passion Of Our Lord Year B.

Isaiah 50:4-7; Psalm 22:8-9.17-20. 23-24; Philippians 2:6-11; Mark 14:1-15:47.

“ALL THESE FOR YOUR SAKE!”

By: Rev. Fr. Charles Onyeka Ezejide.

·      Today the church celebrates the Palm Sunday of the Passion of our Lord. On this day, the church recalls the entrance of Christ into Jerusalem to accomplish the paschal mystery. The church enters into the highpoint of the season of Lent. The reality of the Passion, death, and crucifixion of the Lord is gradually dawning on us, but the joy is that after “Good Friday” there will be “Easter Sunday”.

·      Today, we celebrate the triumphant entry of Jesus Christ into Jerusalem. The purpose of the entrance was for our Lord to suffer the mockery of the devil, the brutality of men, and even the abandonment of his heavenly Father as St. Paul would tell us, that God did not spare his son but offered him up for us all (Romans 8:32). Our Lord Jesus Christ confirmed this on the cross when he exclaimed, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” (Matt. 27:46).

·      The celebration of today puts us in a sober mood to truly reflect on the prize God our creator had to pay for the redemption of all of us. He sacrificed his only begotten son that you and I may have life and have it in full.

·      The reality of today’s celebration is also our reality. The celebration started with a joyful mood outside the church where the priest blessed the palm fronts that ushered Jesus into his redemptive death on Calvary. We call it Jesus’ triumphant entry into Jerusalem, but the triumph and victory were won on the cross of Calvary.

·      Friends in Christ notice that the people of Jesus’ time were happy to welcome him into Jerusalem. They spread their mats and palm fronts as he rode on a donkey into his sacrificial death. Jesus knew what awaited him in Jerusalem, yet he had to go there so that the will of the Father might be fulfilled.

·      In the first reading (Isaiah 50:4-7), which is from the third song of the servant of the Lord, the Prophet Isaiah clearly shows that it is through suffering that the son of God will be glorified. We too must constantly meditate on the redemptive side of suffering. While the weight of suffering may be too much on us, it always comes with some lessons for us.

·      Friends in Christ, the suffering of Jesus was intense, yet he underwent that for our sake because his pain and shame on the cross of Calvary will ultimately lead to our gain and fame.

·      The second reading (Philippians 2:6-11), on the other hand, St. Paul tells us that greatness comes through humility. We all are redeemed through the shameful death of Jesus on the cross. He was God yet he offered his life in atonement for our sins.

·      Dearly beloved in Christ, through the sacrificial death of Jesus on the cross, for our salvation, the words of scripture are fulfilled; “when I am lifted up from the earth, I shall draw all men to myself” (Jn. 12:32).

·      The passion narrative (Mark 14:1-15:47), although long, sets the mood for today’s celebration. It puts us within the context of Jesus’ time. In the narrative, we see the intrigues, horse-trading, and the conspiracy against the innocent but Jesus patiently endured all this because it was for this very reason that he took our human nature.

·      As we begin today the Holy Week, let us just reflect on one very important truth: Jesus died for us. He died for every one of us. Do we realize the great meaning of this truth? “He died for us.” Many of us have heard this phrase so many times that we do not anymore realize the great value of the sacrifice of Jesus for us.

·      Today, the door of the Holy Week is open for us to march with the Lord to his suffering and death as we look forward to the resurrection. I would not know what your disposition has been since the beginning of Lent. Would you say, “Yes it has been a great experience for me” or would you have regrets? The son of God went through all this mockery and pain for your sake, how would you rather reciprocate this love?

·      Dear friends in Christ, for all the Lord has done for us, we owe him gratitude. Gratitude to God is not simply by saying “Thank You” to Him. Rather, genuine gratitude should lead us to radical conversion, totally rejecting sin, because we know that sin always offends God. And secondly, it should also move us to love and care for those whom God also loves: our needy brothers and sisters.

·      As we begin this Holy Week, may we make this truly holy as we express our gratitude to God by resolving to turn away from sin and to be pleasing in His sight by our acts of kindness and love towards one another.

·      May the good Lord bless his word in our hearts, through Christ our Lord, Amen!

·      Happy Sunday!!!