Homily for Palm Sunday 28th March 2021

Readings: Is 50:4-7, Phillipians2:6-11, Mark 14:1-72;15:1-47
Who do we identify ourselves with?

Its Palm Sunday! We begin the holy week as we draw ever closer to the passion, death and resurrection of our Lord. And todays passion narrative puts us in the right mode for reflection of the paschal mysteries. Today’s gospel gives a picture of how we all respond to Jesus’ ministry here on earth. The question is; of all the characters at play, who do I identify myself with?
The first reading is a song; third servant song.
The song narrates the mission of the servant and he is going to carry it. His mission is to bring comfort to the people who are facing different challenges in life. Through the word he has received, he is going to bring justice, and expose the wickedness of those involved in all sorts of evil. He further says that he is going to do this by perseverance. He will not turn his face from those who ridicule him because of being faithful to his mission.
This is exactly the mission that Jesus came for and fulfilled. So who do we identify with? Jesus the suffering servant or those that tortured him for doing justice?
The passion narrative today brings to us all sorts of characters as Jesus is facing trial, and led to his crucifixion.
There are those disciples that run away after his captors had come, Peter who denied Jesus, Jewish leaders who persistently called for Jesus’ death, Potiphar’s wife, the unconvinced Pilate, the soldiers who scourged him, Symon of Cyrene, the weeping women of Jerusalem, the onlookers, the cheerers, the two revolutionaries that were crucified with him, his mother, Joseph of Arimathea and all the other that ridiculed him as he hung upon the cross. All these characters point to our attitude and response to the mission of Jesus.
As they all take part in the events that we commemorate today, let us all take time to reflect on how we impact the mission of Jesus. Those characters tell a big story about us and everyone having known who he or she identifies with must take appropriate action.
The second reading, a common liturgical song of the early church gives us hint of what we need to have to participate in the mission of Jesus: Humility!

Let us all learn to be humble and imitate the example of Jesus and identify with him in our day to day life so as to enjoy the fruits of his death and resurrection.

Have a fruitful Holy Week and Easter Celebrations!