Palm Sunday

Christ Jesus, though he was in the form of God, did not regard equality with God something to be grasped. Rather, he emptied himself, taking the form of a slave, coming in human likeness; and found human in appearance, he humbled himself, becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.

Adam and Eve gave into the temptation of pride and sought to become like gods. This original sin caused their downfall and it is the same temptation we constantly face in our lives. There are many times when the Devil tries to convince us that we know best and can determine what is good and evil on our own. However, this isn’t something we should be grasping for. It is arrogant to think we know what’s best for us. No. God knows what’s best and if we want to belong to Him, then we have to be willing to let go and let God lead us where we need to be. We have to be willing to become slaves to Christ and humble ourselves just as He did. We must choose to be obedient, even to the point of death on a cross. It might not be the same cross Jesus bore, but each of us needs to die to something in our lives so we can do God’s Will more perfectly.

How can we resist the temptation to make ourselves into gods? What can we do to let go and let God lead us? Are we willing to be humble and obedient even if it requires a great deal of sacrifice from us?

O Lord, we want to empty ourselves of selfishness so you might fill us with your love, mercy, and grace.

Amen.

Palm Sunday of the Lord’s Passion

Now one of the criminals hanging there reviled Jesus, saying, “Are you not the Christ?
Save yourself and us.” The other, however, rebuking him, said in reply, “Have you no fear of God, for you are subject to the same condemnation? And indeed, we have been condemned justly, for the sentence we received corresponds to our crimes, but this man has done nothing criminal.” Then he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.” He replied to him, “Amen, I say to you, today you will be with me in Paradise.”

When we are undergoing persecution or suffering, we are faced with a choice. We can either be like the first criminal or the second one. We can either question God, demanding that He prove Himself to us before we’ll believe in Him or we can respect God’s Will and ask Him to remember us. All of us will have times in our lives when we will have to bear our crosses and be crucified in one regard or another. Some of us will suffer in our minds, others in our spirits, and still more in our bodies. However, no matter what we suffer, we should put our trust in God and hope that at the end of the dark nights of our souls there will be a glorious dawn.

In what ways are we tempted to question and doubt God’s Will? How can we become more trusting of God’s Divine Plan, even in the midst of our sufferings? How can we transform our sufferings into stepping stones to Paradise?

O Lord, remember us and bear us into your kingdom at the ends of our lives.

Amen.

Palm Sunday of the Lord’s Passion

Truly this man was the Son of God!

The centurion’s words have echoed the Divine Truth throughout the ages and today we reaffirm our belief that Jesus Christ was, is, and ever will be the Son of God. He is the model for all of us to base our lives on because like him we too are called to be sons and daughters of God. As we meditate upon Jesus’ Passion we are faced with how our own sinfulness has caused so much suffering to the Body of Christ, not just Jesus himself, but also his spiritual body—our fellow baptized and the Church. We also witness his love for us as expressed by his willingness to accept the sufferings rightfully belonging to us. We should keep this in mind the next time something happens to us and we wonder, "Why me?" or "Where are you Father?" Perhaps we should rather ask ourselves, "Why not me?" and "Why am I tempted to abandon you Father?" God has done more than we deserve by sacrificing his Son for us. We should not complain when we too are called to sacrifice something for Him.

What have we sacrificed for God? What have we sacrificed for his children? Are we willing to accept the sufferings we must endure in order to do God’s Will?

O Lord, you are truly the Son of God!

Amen.