Fr Billy Swan
Dear friends. We have just heard the story of a man tortured to death. Did it shock you? If the answer is ‘Yes’, then good. This is what’s meant to happen. If the answer is ‘No’ then there is a good chance we are too distracted, too preoccupied with other things and numb to what should provoke many questions, feelings and challenges. When we listen to it carefully, the powerful story of the Passion of the Christ grabs us by the lapels, shakes us and moves us like no other story of its kind. It is a story that wasn’t made up. It really did happen.
On Palm Sunday, the Church once gain holds up the symbol of the cross before itself and the world. Today we hold up the story of Jesus’ passion to be contemplated prayerfully. It is a story that is filled with drama and irony for in it we see the great battle between all that is wrong with the human condition with the power of God who came to save, heal and restore us.
In the story we have just heard, we see the Jesus’ betrayal by Judas and him being abandoned by his apostles and closest friends. To this betrayal, infidelity and cowardice, Jesus brings loyalty and courage. To a horrific injustice of an innocent man being sentenced to death, Jesus himself brings forgiveness and the restoration of innocence in us who are guilty. To terrible cruelty and violence, Jesus brought the power of his kindness and peace. To those who feel that God has abandoned them, Jesus comes to them and assures them: ‘Do not be afraid. I am here with you. I know what it is like to cry out ‘My God my God why have you forsaken me?’ Here is a love that is powerful and that still is at work today to defeat injustice, violence, evil, deceit, darkness and death.
In this homily for Palm Sunday, I encourage you to sit with this story, read it, listen to it and contemplate it over and over again. Allow the drama to move you, to capture and intrigue you. Today and all this week is a time to slow down and to make this week holy. Let us not live through holy week but to make this week holy by entering into the drama of the story through the liturgy. From today, to Tuesday’s Chrism Mass, to Spy Wednesday, Holy Thursday, Good Friday, Holy Saturday and then Easter Sunday - each of those days this week holds up some part of Jesus’ experience that he wants us to share with him.
Finally, a word on mercy or as it is called in Irish ‘Trocaire’. The story of Jesus’ death is a story of mercy for all humanity. When Jesus was lifted up on the hill of Calvary, he saw the people of all the world for whom he died out of love. Just as the fragrance of the ointment filled the room when it anointed the head of Jesus in today’s Gospel, so his mercy extends to all humanity in every age and time, including our own.
This Lent, the Trocaire campaign here in Ireland has been to help the people of Malawi. When we listen to their story, we recognize their story in that of Jesus’ passion. Their story is his and his story is theirs. In this final week of Lent, let us make a final effort to support this campaign of mercy to help the people of Malawi. The slogan of Trocaire is ‘Until Love Conquers Fear’. This is what Jesus did in his passion. His love conquered fear and so he restores our hope and the hope of the people of Malawi. Please return your Trocaire Box to the sacristy/Presbytery on or after Good Friday. Thank you.
Wishing you all a prayerful Holy Week as we walk with Christ towards Jerusalem and contemplate and re-live the greatest story ever told.