Palm Sunday of the Passion of the Lord – Cycle B – March 28, 2021 The Passion of the Lord: Making the Father’s Mercy present in every corner of humanity Commemoration of the Lord’s Entrance into Jerusalem: Mark 11: 1-10 Mass: Isaiah 50: 4-7 / Psalm 22 / Philippians 2: 6-11 / Mark 14: 1 – 15: 47
The celebration of Palm Sunday offers us two very distinct readings taken from the Gospel according to Mark: One is of Jesus entering joyfully into the holy city of Jerusalem and the other of the Passion of the Lord Jesus narrating his steps to the cross, leaving the city towards the mount of Calvary.
One evangelist, St. Mark, and one span of only six days, one moment of jubilant celebration concluded by a time of betrayal, violence and sadness, but one love faithful to the end and one Redeemer, Jesus Christ.
Each one of the Lord’s steps on the earth, especially the events that form today’s readings, demonstrate his openness to assume the fullness of human existence. Each one of his steps manifests his way of redeeming us.
It is important to remember that God in Jesus Christ gave the world the best of himself and hoped to be welcomed by humanity. However, the love of God does not depend on the response of men but has everything to do with humanity’s need of redemption. While Jesus receives betrayal and rejection in the Passion, he offers only fidelity and mercy.
Salvation comes to us as a gift of God poured out generously upon us in the person of Jesus Christ. Redemption comes to us from within our very being by way of the humanity that our Redeemer took on as his own.
In this manner, Christ makes the mercy of his Heavenly Father arrive to each corner and context of humanity and does it in the most simple and trustworthy way: by walking the walk of humanity, by taking the steps that make up our human lives. These steps are often difficult; they are his steps and, at the same time, ours.
Within the reading of the Passion of the Lord according to Saint Mark, there are various moments of sacrifice leading all the way to the final sacrifice of Jesus Christ in giving his life for us and for the salvation of the world. However, mere sacrifice is not enough; it is only part of the path. The most important aspect of his Passion is the love that urges him on. It is love that gives reason to sacrifice and gives it authenticity. As Christ teaches us, it is about the gift of himself.
It is obvious that the Passion of the Lord Jesus is his own story. Still, the purpose of following Christ is to make it our story and for it to be our manner of loving and living. This purpose becomes visible and authentic by way of our willingness to be faithful to our commitments and to love as Jesus Christ has taught us.
The reading of the Passion of the Lord is one of the longest readings that we hear in the liturgy. However, it can be written with one single word: love. As we begin Holy Week, may we have the faith to recognize the steps and traces of Christ on our own path and may we be willing to write our story like his, with words and actions of love.