CHRIST'S ENTRY TO JERUSALEM: OUR CHRISTIAN EXPERIENCE*

HOMILY FOR PALM SUNDAY, YEAR C

THEME: CHRIST'S ENTRY TO JERUSALEM: OUR CHRISTIAN EXPERIENCE

R1: Isaiah 50:4-7, 

R2: Philippians 2:6-11, 

Gospel: Luke 19:28-40_

Dear friends in Christ, this Sunday marks the beginning of the Holy week, the most sacred time of the year for Christians and for Catholics in particular. Today’s liturgy begins beautifully with the shouts of joy of the triumphant entry of Jesus to Jerusalem and a sudden change of mood with passion narrative. Not minding all the good works Christ did for the people, it did not stop them from desiring to kill him. Christ on his own part, being aware of what awaits him there in Jerusalem, did not refuse going. The experience of Christ relates also to our own experience as Christians. We have the following reminders:

*1. WHAT WE MUST GIVE:*

The first part of the first reading beautifully describes God’s endowment. His followers are given different gifts and talents to work for Him. He gives us a disciple’s tongue, the ear to listen as a disciple (Is 50:4-5) and the eye of a disciple. 

Every Christian is gifted specially with these three gifts of the tongue to speak against evil and the unjust treatment of the poor, the ear to listen to the cry of the needy and the eye to see the good and appreciate it; to see the bad and condemn it. That means, service is central to every Christian duty. It is a condition we must fulfil. This was exactly what Jesus did within the three years of his ministry and expects his followers to do likewise.

*2. WHAT WE SHOULD EXPECT:*

 There is a natural tendency in every human to seek a reward or an appreciation for whatever work one has done.  However, as long as we are still in the world, the reward of every Christian is what I may call, the Jerusalem experience. What is the Jerusalem experience?

Jerusalem is the beautiful city of the Lord. In the scripture it presents the worship centre and the figurative representation of where we shall go to meet the Lord. Notwithstanding, this centre of our worship has never been a smooth ground for prophets; it is a place that martyrs prophets. The Jerusalem experience is therefore, the experience of the cross.  Jesus being aware of this reality insists on visiting Jerusalem. He was welcomed with shouts of joy and Hosanna. When the elders of the Jews felt threatened by his progress, possibly, they thought; this man (Jesus) is trying to spoil our business, they decided to kill him.

Every Christian faces this kind of threat from the enemies of goodness. At first we may be welcomed with openness but as the journey keeps going what we get as a reward is never love but persecution. But shall we stop the good work? No, Jesus insists on going thereby encouraging us to remain steadfast even in the face of opposition. The first reading says, I offer my back to those who struck me, my cheeks for those who tore at my beard (Is 50:6).  This is a sad reality we must embrace.

*3. WHAT IS REMAINING:*

The sad experience of persecution a Christian gets in return for love leaves us with a dilemma of to continuing the good or not. How can we battle with this challenge and how can we overcome it? Surely, there is something that is left.

The last line of the first reading; “I know I shall not be put to shame”, (Is 50:7) gives us hope. This summarizes what remains, that which we shall get at last. We may be struck at the back, our beards may be torn, our faces may be covered with insults and spittle as a reward for our humble service, the Lord will not forget us. Like Christ, in the second reading, who humbled himself though he was God and accepted death, we shall be raised and given a name higher than those of our enemies and the enemies of the gospel (Phil 2:6-11).

Therefore, my friends let us not refuse giving out our donkey (colt), our treasure, our talents and our time for the service of God who is our Master. He will surely return it with a greater reward in due time. Lets us cry out to God with the Psalmist, that He will not forsake us in the time of trouble, Amen.

Reflection by 

Fr. Chukwuemeka Vincent Livinus, SMMM.