Breaking Open the Word
By James Cavanagh
March 28: Palm Sunday/Sunday of the Passion
Scripture readings:
• Isaiah 50:4-7
• Psalm 28:8-9
• Philippians 2:6 -11
• Luke 22:14 -23:56
Overview: The liturgy for this Sunday begins with a reading of Jesus’ triumphant entry into Jerusalem followed by the blessing of the palms and procession. All four Gospels record the event, but each one brings out unique aspects. Luke does not use the Hebrew cry of praise, “Hosanna!” but rather “Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!” This not only helps explain the meaning of the Hebrew word to his Greek audience, but it also recalls Christ’s nativity when the angels appeared to the shepherds. In this way Luke shows how Christ’s passion is the fulfillment of the angelic acclamation. Christmas, in other words, cannot be detached from Good Friday. The first reading is called “the third servant song” of Isaiah who was sent to preach conversion and hope to the exiles in Babylon. But, wearied as they were after decades of dejection they rejected the prophet and his message and treated him shamefully. Despite suffering ridicule and abuse Isaiah remained steadfast, his face “set like flint.” The second reading is a beautiful hymn to Christ who was “born in the likeness of men” and “became obedient unto death.” Note the connection between Christ’s incarnation and his suffering and death. Each of the four Gospels narrates the Passion differently to bring out crucial theological points. St. Luke highlights Christ’s solidarity with sinful, suffering man, represented by the two criminals.
Key verse: “He humbled himself, becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross” (Phil 2:8).
The “Catechism of the Catholic Church”: “The Word became flesh for us in order to save us by reconciling us with God, who ‘loved us and sent his Son to be the expiation for our sins’: ‘the Father has sent his Son as the Savior of the world,’ and ‘he was revealed to take away sins’” (No. 457).
Pope Benedict XVI: “Pain is a part of being human. Anyone who really wanted to get rid of suffering would have to get rid of love before anything else, because there can be no love without suffering, because it always demands an element of self sacrifice. When we know that the way of love—this exodus; this going out of oneself—is the true way by which man becomes human, then we also understand that suffering is the process through which we mature. Anyone who has inwardly accepted suffering becomes more mature and more understanding of others; becomes more human” (“God and the World”).
