Palm Sunday

Passion (Palm) Sunday invites us, once again, to look at the story of Jesus, and to examine what it takes for us to walk with him in Paradise. Passion Sunday also calls us to examine the test of faith we all share with those first followers of Jesus. Can we even imagine what it was like to be one of Jesus’ friends who had accompanied Him, to have witnessed the execution of someone loved so dearly? Not only was the person they loved dying, but it also seemed that all of the good he had accomplished was dying with him! There was not only pain, but there was also the worst kind of confusion.
As Paul Harvey would say, however, we know “the rest of the story.” Jesus’ suffering was turned into triumph. We have the vantage point of faith. We know that remaining faithful will provide us with relief. But do we really remember this promise when it counts the most? We have two choices. We can be Peter or we can be Judas!
When the cock crowed, Peter was awakened in the midst of his denial. There was an opportunity for Jesus and Peter to catch each other’s eyes. The glance of Jesus made Peter “remember.” Peter remembered more than the dire prediction of Jesus about his impending defection. He remembered who Jesus was and what Jesus had promised. The Gospel does not tell us Peter ran away. It merely says, “He went outside and wept bitterly.” In the midst of pain, fear and confusion, Peter remembered his faith in Jesus and did not abandon him.
Judas thought he knew better. Judas thought he could control Jesus and force Jesus to fulfill his expectations. When Judas realized his mistake, he truly abandoned God and hope. He took his own life! Passion Sunday is about catching the glance of Jesus one more time. It is about remembering that Jesus suffered and that he conquered! His look can get us through our own hard times, our pain and our confusion. He can do this. However, if we think we can make Jesus do what we want (as did Judas), if we choose to ridicule our faith in the midst of our own pain as did Judas, then we will surely suffer in vain!
God so loved the world that he gave his only begotten Son, and the Son so loved us that he gave himself for our salvation. Without sacrifice there is no love, without the Cross there is no crown of victory! During the days of Holy Week, the Church in her prayers relives with us this Divine drama of our salvation. Don’t let Holy Week slip by unnoticed! Make this special time a really important part of your preparation to experience all of the happiness of Easter!