A reflection on Palm Sunday 5th April 2020
Today as we follow the Palm Sunday celebration live on TV, radio or Internet live streams, from the family churches, we are invited to let God enter into our lives in a new way.
JESUS TRIUMPHANT ENTRY TO JERUSALEM
Readings: Isaiah 50:4-7
Responsorial psalm 22
Philippians 2:6-11
Gospel – Mathew 26:14 – 27:66
On Ash Wednesday Prophet Joel told us to return to the Lord “with all your hearts, with fasting, with weeping, and with mourning; and TEAR your HEARTS and not your garments”. During this Lenten season we have prayed, fasted and hopefully given alms AND YES REPENTED. Today as JESUS enters triumphantly into the HOLY CITY OF JERUSALEM for His Passion. He rides on a donkey and the crowds lay their garments and branches on the ground as Jesus passed. They sang Blessed is he who comes in the nameof the Lord, Hosanna in the Highest.
Today, we are invited not to spread our clothes or garments, BUT our CONTRITE HEARTS, LOVING HEARTS.
St. Andrew of Crete reminds us that Olive branches and garments will delight the eyes for a few hours and then wither and fade. Christians clothed in the Grace of Christ through baptism should be the garments that are spread for Jesus today by embracing virtue and avoiding sin.
Let us welcome Jesus into our hearts, into our lives as we serve the poor and the needy, as we live faithfully our Christian calling, as we pray for the defeat of the COVID-19, as we proclaim the Gospel of love. This will enable us to sing “blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord. Blesed be the King of Israel, the King of the world, the King of our hearts. Our song will only be harmonious if we be like Jesus:humble and obedient. May we enter into the Holy Week to meditate on the suffering, death and resurrection of JESUS. We ask Mary our Mother to walk with us we follow Jesus to Calvary.
God bless you.
Fr. Boniface
