PALM SUNDAY, YEAR A: REFLECTION BY FR. JULIAN EKEH
(MATTHEW 26:14-27:66)
We today commemorate the triumphant entry
of Jesus into Jerusalem. He has been hiding for sometimes now. He has been in
isolation. He had avoided the Jews and the virus of hatred and conspiracy they
circulated. Today He enters Jerusalem, the place of death, He marches
majestically upon the forces of darkness, He rode kingly into the city. He is
greeted with the waving of palms and singing of psalms.
This journey spelt a lot for Jesus. But He
did not give up because He had a drive. He had a motivation. He was driven by
passion, He was moved into action. He wished to bring about a better form of
life other than the sick, weak, sinful life. He was driven by a desire to
deliver His people from bondage. He was inspired to give, to offer, to donate
and also to take. He offers His life, He gives holiness, He sacrifices His
Divinity on the altar of Humanity that humanity may receive dignity and
respect. Jesus takes up passionately, from the depth of His heart our shame,
our sin, our diseases, our sorrows, our fears and tears.
With this in mind, He launches us into the
Holy Week. Let us see the various drives in today's Gospel Reading, known
liturgically, as the passion narrative.
The passion for death
Passion is motivated by love. What one
loves means a lot. For Jesus' love for life, He was moved to save it. For the
scribe's and Pharisees' love for death they were out to terminate the life
giver, they sat and took counsel, deadly ones indeed. Such a passion was very
strong that it drew other passions along with it: Judas, Peter, Pilate, Barabas
and the crowd.
Passion for Money
Money and what money can buy have been very
strong force down through the ages. Money can be used to save life, but it has
often been used to destroy life. Judas allowed himself due to the inclination
in him and the love he had for money to be roped in by agents of death. He sold
life to death. He traded the author of life for money. Until today, are we not
suffering in the hands of our people, our leaders both religious and political
as a result of greed and love for money? Are people not losing their lives on
daily basis for loving money more than their parents, friends and life
partners?
Judas took money and sold his master with a
deadly kiss. He kissed to kill just to keep money. At last he saw that he only
succeeded in plunging himself into despair and perpetual agony. Have you caused
any death? Repent and replace your evil passions with holy ones.
Passion for self preservation
Peter who earlier on promised to stand by
Jesus gave him more than a social distance when trials came. He loved his own
life that he did not care whose life would be lost for him to preserve it. He
no longer cared about his beliefs, he forgot his covenants, he abandoned his
earlier stands, he told a good number of lies, and he denied Jesus. How many
times have we denied Jesus on in the bid to preserve our lives and those of our
family members? How many times have we told lies when questioned about our faith?
How often do people get involved in a number of evils for protection? The
passion for life makes you think not only of your life but also of the other
person. Peter should have felt for his master who is being condemned based on
lies, and who is receiving whips. Yet for fear and love for his own life, he
did not feel for his master but denied him before a slave girl.
Passion for Power
Pilate realized so well that Jesus was
innocent and yet because of his quest for power he asked: are you the king of
the Jews? Another selfishness in action. Even when his wife made known to him
her dreams he was not strong enough to stand for life. When he thought he was
not threatened, he became neutral. When he thought the people might revolt, he
washed his hands. What a craftiness! Intoxication of power has really done us
more harm than good. The desire to remain on top by the world powers has really
made them take decisions that sacrificed people's life. May God reveal to them
that all power belongs to Him.
Passion for false freedom
The people wanted someone to be freed but
it was the wrong person. Barabbas was desired while Jesus was denied. This is
sad. How often do we passionately desire evil than good? May God save us.
Barabbas did not demonstrate like the thief on the cross that he did not
deserve
Passion for crowd
Some people find it difficult to stand out,
to be themselves. They blindly and passionately follow the crowd. They move
without knowing why, they shout without reasoning, they make noise and sing
choruses they do not know. They may sing Hosannah in the morning and sing
crucify him in the afternoon. They are a body of compromised beings. They allow
themselves to be manipulated. Are you following Jesus as a crowd or as a
convinced person who have had a personal touch by him?
Are you busy building factions instead of
watering your passion for good actions?
It is indeed time to be passionate for
life. For our spiritual well-being, for the life of those we are better than.
It is time to have human feelings. It is
time for us to love like Christ. It is time for us to develop special love for
things of God. It is time for us to take our mission on earth as children of
God seriously. May we not be blindfolded by the wrong passions. May the passion
of Christ strengthen us in all our endeavours. May God help us to make our
world a better place. May He who overcame the weakness of his body to achieve
the desire of the spirit help us to follow the directives of the Holy Spirit
and be more sanctified this Holy Week and beyond. Amen
Be sanctified
Be made whole
Happy Palm Sunday (Yr A)
Rev Fr Julian O Ekeh
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