Homily for Palm Sunday (A)

We begin today the celebration of the Holy Week. We call this Sunday Palm Sunday because of the palms we bless as we recall today our Lord’s triumphant entry into Jerusalem, hailed as king by a jubilant crowd, waving palms and singing “Hosannas” to the son of David. Ironically, however, we also call this Palm Sunday, Passion Sunday because our Gospel today proclaims to us the suffering and death of Jesus on the cross.

How quickly the mood of the crowd changed: their “hosannas” were quickly replaced by shouts of “Crucify him, crucify him.” Their words of praise quickly turned into angry words of insult, mockery and condemnation. The palms they waived in royal welcome soon took the shape of a dreaded cross on which they hang the Savior. A glorious welcome quickly turned into tragic death. What happened here?

Today as we reflect on the passion and death of Jesus, I invite you to reflect on the cast of characters, as it were, of this drama.

First, there’s the fickle-minded crowd. They hailed Jesus as king as he entered Jerusalem. But their warm welcome quickly turned into a most lethal and murderous hatred for Jesus. Their “hosannas” quickly turned into “Crucify him, crucify him.” Why? Bakit ganon na lang kabilis bumaliktad? Simply because Jesus did not meet their misplaced expectations. They expected Jesus to be a worldly, political messiah who will wield power and liberate them from their Roman oppressors, and who will lead Israel into a glorious political future. Jesus, however, was not out to conquer nations by force, but to conquer sin and death by means of his love and self-giving. (“No man has greater love than this than to lay down his life for his friends.”) When the crowd saw that Jesus did not fit their expectations, they turned from a welcoming crowd to an angry mob.

Then there’s the scribes and Pharisees and the temple priests. All the while they plotted to kill Jesus. Why? Because they were threatened by Jesus. Jesus has constantly challenged their arrogance and exposed their pretensions and hypocrisy. The words and actions of Jesus, despite their efforts to dismiss them, have been eating up on their guilty consciences. So they manipulated the crowd, they used the people to silence his voice, the voice of God, the voice of forgiveness and love.

Then there’s Judas. He was one of the Lord’s most trusted disciples. But he too wanted Jesus to become a political Messiah who will usher in a glorious regime in Israel. He knew he stood to gain a lot when Jesus becomes what he hopes him to be. In short, though a disciple, Judas had his own personal agenda. When things did not unfold according to his (hidden) selfish agenda, he betrayed Jesus and sold him for thirty pieces of silver, the price of a slave at that time.

Then there’s Pilate. He suspected deep in his heart that Jesus was innocent. Deep in his heart, he wanted to free Jesus. But he saw an opportunity to please and win the admiration of the crowd. So turned a blind eye to the truth and handed him over to be crucified. Then he washed his hands of his responsibility.

Then there’s Peter and the rest of the disciples. When they saw Jesus arrested, they all fled in fear and they deserted and abandoned him. Their faith simply wavered. They abandoned a friend to the hands of his enemies. It was always easy to follow Jesus in good times. But when the going got tough, they all fell away. How easily their faith was tested.

Then there’s Simon of Cyrene, a passerby, forced to help Jesus carry his cross. Suddenly, his life and that of Jesus crossed on the way to Calvary. Reluctantly, he shared the cross of Jesus.

Today as be behold the figure of Jesus hanging on the cross, we are challenged to ask ourselves: where do we stand before our crucified Lord? Where do we locate our place in this varied cast of character that make up the drama of the Lord’s passion and death?