Palm Sunday: My Journey this Holy Week

03-29-2020Weekly ReflectionFr. Bing Colasito

Today begins the most solemn week of the whole Christendom, Holy Week. This year’s Holy Week will probably be the most memorable of all the Holy Week celebrations in my twenty years as a priest. We have journeyed forty days this season of Lent, as we moved through Lent, we intensified our prayer, fasting and acts of charity. At the same time, another phenomenon intensified during this season, the spread of CoVid 19. It spread to a rate never experienced before in our life time, until it finally reached a pandemic proportion. At the end of Lent and as we enter Holy Week, I pray that we all have experienced intense grace, not being able to receive Jesus in the Eucharist hopefully increased our longing for that full communion with Jesus, in His Body and Blood. Let us continue to pray with a fervent heart and soul, the Spiritual Communion Prayer. “My Jesus, I believe that You are present in the Most Holy Sacrament. I love You above all things, and I desire to receive You into my soul. Since I cannot at this moment receive You sacramentally, come at least spiritually into my heart. I embrace You as if You were already there and unite myself wholly to You. Never permit me to be separated from You. Amen.”

Today in the eyes of many, Jesus entered Jerusalem triumphant. But the props used by Jesus said otherwise, He entered Jerusalem in a humble manner riding on a donkey. People hailed Him as King, “Son of David,” waving palm branches in celebration of His coming, perhaps to take possession of Jerusalem as His Kingdom. Their actions sent different signals, the call of Hosanna, was an expression of adoration, praise and joy, but literally it also means “save us”. Did it mean that they acknowledged Him as the Messiah? Mt. 21:9 “Hosanna to the Son of David; blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord; Hosanna in the highest.” But the same people who shouted the praise of Hosanna would be the same people a few days later shouting for the blood of Jesus, “crucify him, crucify him.” How fickle the human heart turns!

At the end of the Passion Narrative, we saw Jesus betrayed by Judas and abandoned by the Apostles. He was tried hastily, crucified and was dead, all in a span of a day. How did this happen? Did they suddenly realize that Jesus was not the awaited Messiah? For centuries the Jews were awaiting the Messiah, everyone expected a political leader, an earthly king in the model of David or perhaps a military leader, with the Roman empire holding the seat and control of Government, the concept of a political Messiah even became bigger. His chosen method of entry to Jerusalem should have given them a hint, He came in humility riding a donkey. Phil. 2:6-8 “Though He was in the form of God, did not regard equality with God something to be grasped, but emptied Himself, taking the form of a slave, and being made in the likeness of men. Being found in appearance as a man, He humbled Himself by becoming obedient to death, even death on a cross.”

How do we honor Jesus this Holy Week? Let us honor Jesus by following the way of His cross to Calvary. A good model for this most solemn week is Mama Mary. She followed her Son all the way to Mt. Calvary, she was present at the foot of the cross. Thus, if we also remain with her, especially at this time of pandemic uncertainty, she will give us the courage and the resolve to follow Jesus and to stand at the foot of the cross. Offering all our fears, pains, and sufferings to the crucified Lord, who was the first to suffer and died for us. Let us pray for the grace of intense faith, hope and charity, the grace of a new heart promised by Jesus, through His death on the cross. “There is no greater love, than to lay down one’s life for a friend.” Lord, instill in our hearts how great is your love for us, as we begin our journey this Holy Week.