March 24, Palm Sunday of the Lord’s Passion
Daily Readings: Isaiah 50:4–7; Philippians 2: 6-11; Mark 14: 1 – 15: 47
Jesus' birth and ministry reveal God's will for him. It will be incomplete without the events of Holy Week. All that happened during this decisive week opened the eyes of faith in his disciples to rally around Jesus and give birth to the church. The Jesus Movement will take shape in an organized form. This part of history begins today when Jesus enters Jerusalem quite solemnly.
The first reading from the Book of Prophets, Second Isaiah, presents the third Suffering Servant Song. It describes Israel as a nation rich in history and captivity. It is here that we encounter the man of God, who considers himself God’s servant and a powerful teacher. He listens to God’s word so that he may teach others. He only gets back his commitment to teaching through suffering and pain. They strike him. They pull his beard and cause aches. They spit on him and insult him. Since the Lord God sustains him in all these gruesome moments, the servant of God remains strong and unfazed. He is confident that he will not face disgrace. This is, in fact, the nutshell of the Passion narratives regarding Jesus’ last week on earth as Jesus of Nazareth.
The Responsorial Psalm presents the lament of a person who suffers unjustly but patiently. The New Testament quotes this psalm thirteen times, with nine occurrences in the Passion narratives alone. The Psalmist does not complain, nor does he show any bitterness. He does not allude to sin, nor does he declare personal innocence. Despite all the suffering, he places himself entirely in the hands of God and finds great peace and serenity.
St. Paul visualizes the entire life story of Jesus in a beautifully composed Christological hymn. Paul praises Jesus for the mystery of the incarnation. Instead of claiming equality with God, he practices the spirituality of kenosis or self-emptying. In his humility, he became obedient to the point of death on a cross. Because of this, Jesus is highly exalted and commands honor and glory. This is what makes every knee bend and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord.
The Gospel reading narrates the Passion, Death, and Burial of Jesus. It is an invitation to enter into the pains and aches of Jesus together with my sufferings and, more importantly, the sufferings of humanity.
Call to Action for Catholic Living: When I can offer my sufferings alongside those of Jesus, I find both meaning and consolation. Am I ready to do that?
Radio Veritas Asia (RVA), a media platform of the Catholic Church, aims to share Christ. RVA started in 1969 as a continental Catholic radio station to serve Asian countries in their respective local language, thus earning the tag “the Voice of Asian Christianity.” Responding to the emerging context, RVA embraced media platforms to connect with the global Asian audience via its 21 language websites and various social media platforms.
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