I have met a few people over the years who told me that their friends stopped talking to
them overnight. They couldn’t understand what was behind their friends’ strange behaviour.
Their phone numbers were blocked without any explanation. Maybe you too feel distressed
because your closest friend started to avoid you without providing a good reason.
People can suddenly change and walk away from our lives.
Brothers and Sisters, today we begin Holy Week Ceremonies. Palm Sunday recalls happy
crowds saluting Jesus while he enters Jerusalem. However, the joy of “Hosanna”
on people’s lips was quickly changed into angry shouts “Crucify Him, Crucify Him”.
Today’s rich liturgy of the Word leads our thoughts towards Jesus’ suffering and crucifixion.
In the first reading the prophet Isaiah shares with us his distressed feelings
as a servant of the Lord. Isaiah wrote, “I made no resistance, neither did I turn away.
I offered my back to those who struck me, my cheeks to those who tore at my beard;
I did not cover my face against insult and spittle” (Is 50:8-9).
From the Christian perspective this text foretold the future passion of the Messiah.
Today’s Psalm 21 refers to what Jesus went through during his passion.
We read, “They tear holes in my hands and my feet. I can count every one of my bones” [...].
“They divided my clothing among them. They cast lots for my robe” (Ps 21:17-18).
In his letter to the Philippians Saint Paul reminds us that Jesus’ state was divine and yet
"he did not cling to his equality with God but emptied himself to assume the
condition of a slave and became as men are” (Phil 2:6). He explains that Christ
was so humble that he accepted the kind of death that was reserved only for criminals.
Today’s long Gospel continues the theme of the Passion of Christ offered for our salvation.
When Jesus was hanging on the cross, he repeated the psalmist’s distressed prayer, “My God, my God,
why have you deserted me? (Mt 27:46). Jesus felt that he was abandoned even by his Heavenly Father!
Saint Paul explains that God never abandoned his Son. In fact, "God raised him high and
gave him the name, which is above all other names so that all beings [...] should bend
the knee at the name of Jesus and that every tongue should acclaim Jesus Christ as Lord,
to the glory of God the Father” (Phil 2:9-10).
Dear friends, please, think for a moment about your daily crosses.
Sometimes we all feel overburdened by different kinds of problems. Possibly our family members
stopped talking to us. Perhaps we even thought that we were abandoned by God.
Today’s liturgy of the Word assures us that God never leaves us alone. He is always close to us
because he loves us and has a great plan for our lives. On the day of our baptism,
He made us his beloved children and invited us to take part in his eternal kingdom.
May this consoling thought accompany us during the celebrations of this Holy Week.