Hosanna

Today is Palm Sunday the beginning of Holy Week, the days when we follow Jesus’ journey to the cross, followed by his Resurrection on Easter. The Liturgy starts with the procession with palms to remind us of Jesus’ triumphant entry into Jerusalem. Jesus entered Jerusalem riding on a donkey amid a crowd who were waving palm branches and laid their cloaks on the ground for Jesus to ride over. How did their shouts of “Hosannah” change to shouts of “Crucify him” in just a few short days? Jesus was journeying towards the cross, where he would lift up, every human being through his crucifixion. Our procession today, encourages us to accompany Jesus through the events of Holy Week and Easter.

Whilst the other readings are the same every year, the gospel reading changes with each Lectionary cycle. In year A we read from Matthew’s account of Jesus’ passion, each evangelist relates the story in their own context. Matthew writes for Jewish Christians at a time when they were breaking from the synagogue, Matthew wants to reassure them that Jesus’ passion fulfils the Jewish scriptures. Jesus’ brutal death was not the result of chance, coincidence, or circumstance but part of the mystery of God’s plan. Matthew deliberately cites Jewish scriptures to show that Jesus was indeed the promised Messiah. Matthew wants to “make sense” out of the suffering and shameful death that Jesus endured. He does this by emphasizing that Jesus’ passion is part of God’s plan of redemption for the world. Jesus’ heart was full of the Father’s love for each and every one of us. He died on the cross out of love for us. It is interesting to note the responses of Judas and Peter when they came face to face with their rejection of Jesus. Sometimes we are like Judas, who betrays Jesus and comes to regret it. We are sometimes like Peter, who denies him, or like the disciples, who fell asleep at Jesus’ darkest hour in the garden of Gethsemane but then acted violently without thinking when he was arrested. Sometimes we are like Simon, who is pressured into carrying Jesus’ cross. Sometimes we are like the leaders who fear Jesus or like Pontius Pilate, who washed his hands of the whole affair. Some days it is difficult to be a parent, but the lesson we learn today from Jesus’ passion is that reconciliation and healing bring us long-term joy as opposed to the bitterness of despair. God wants us to believe, follow and worship his Son Jesus as we acknowledge him as our Lord and Saviour. We are called to take up our cross and follow Christ, suffering as he did. During this most special and Holy week, each of us can grow in our love, devotion, and worship of Jesus on the cross, the Crucified One who is Saviour of the world.