PASSION (PALM) SUNDAY HOMILY YEAR A, B AND C
Is 50:4-7 Phi 2:6-11 (both A, B and C) Lk 22:14-23:56
Being “Human”
What Price Commitment?; Jesus the Martyr; The Suffering of the Innocent; Fidelity; Quality of Life.
At The Procession With Palms – Gospel – Mark 11:1-10
1 When Jesus and his disciples drew near to Jerusalem, to Bethphage and Bethany at the Mount of Olives, he sent two of his disciples
2 and said to them, “Go into the village opposite you, and immediately on entering it, you will find a colt tethered on which no one has ever sat. Untie it and bring it here.
3 If anyone should say to you, ‘Why are you doing this?’ reply, ‘The Master has need of it and will send it back here at once.’”
4 So they went off and found a colt tethered at a gate outside on the street, and they untied it.
5 Some of the bystanders said to them, “What are you doing, untying the colt?”
6 They answered them just as Jesus had told them to, and they permitted them to do it.
7 So they brought the colt to Jesus and put their cloaks over it. And he sat on it.
8 Many people spread their cloaks on the road, and others spread leafy branches that they had cut from the fields.
9 Those preceding him as well as those following kept crying out: “Hosanna!
10 Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! Blessed is the kingdom of our father David that is to come! Hosanna in the highest!”
OR John 12:12-16
12 When the great crowd that had come to the feast heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem,
13 they took palm branches and went out to meet him, and cried out: “Hosanna! “Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord, the king of Israel.”
14 Jesus found an ass and sat upon it, as is written:
15 Fear no more, O daughter Zion; see, your king comes, seated upon an ass’s colt.
16 His disciples did not understand this at first, but when Jesus had been glorified they remembered that these things were written about him and that they had done this for him.
At The Mass – 1st Reading Isaiah 50:4-7
4 The Lord GOD has given me a well-trained tongue, that I might know how to speak to the weary a word that will rouse them. Morning after morning he opens my ear that I may hear;
5 and I have not rebelled, have not turned back.
6 I gave my back to those who beat me, my cheeks to those who plucked my beard; my face I did not shield from buffets and spitting.
7 The Lord GOD is my help, therefore I am not disgraced; I have set my face like flint, knowing that I shall not be put to shame.
Responsorial Psalm – Psalms 22:8-9, 17-18, 19-20, 23-24
R. (2a) My God, my God, why have you abandoned me?
8 All who see me scoff at me;
they mock me with parted lips, they wag their heads:
9 “He relied on the LORD; let him deliver him,
let him rescue him, if he loves him.”
R. My God, my God, why have you abandoned me?
17 Indeed, many dogs surround me,
a pack of evildoers closes in upon me;
18 They have pierced my hands and my feet;
I can count all my bones.
R. My God, my God, why have you abandoned me?
19 They divide my garments among them,
and for my vesture they cast lots.
20 But you, O LORD, be not far from me;
O my help, hasten to aid me.
R. My God, my God, why have you abandoned me?
23 I will proclaim your name to my brethren;
in the midst of the assembly I will praise you:
24 “You who fear the LORD, praise him;
all you descendants of Jacob, give glory to him;
revere him, all you descendants of Israel!”
R. My God, my God, why have you abandoned me?
2nd Reading – Philippians 2:6-11
6 Christ Jesus, though he was in the form of God, did not regard equality with God something to be grasped.
7 Rather, he emptied himself, taking the form of a slave, coming in human likeness; and found human in appearance,
8 he humbled himself, becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.
9 Because of this, God greatly exalted him and bestowed on him the name
which is above every name,
10 that at the name of Jesus every knee should bend, of those in heaven and on earth and under the earth,
11 and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.
Verse Before The Gospel – Philippians 2:8-9
8 Christ became obedient to the point of death,
even death on a cross.
9 Because of this, God greatly exalted him
and bestowed on him the name which is above every name.
Gospel – Mark 14:1-15:47
1 The Passover and the Feast of Unleavened Bread were to take place in two days’ time. So the chief priests and the scribes were seeking a way to arrest him by treachery and put him to death.
2 They said, “Not during the festival, for fear that there may be a riot among the people.”
3 When he was in Bethany reclining at table in the house of Simon the leper, a woman came with an alabaster jar of perfumed oil, costly genuine spikenard. She broke the alabaster jar and poured it on his head.
4 There were some who were indignant. “Why has there been this waste of perfumed oil?
5 It could have been sold for more than three hundred days’ wages and the money given to the poor.” They were infuriated with her.
6 Jesus said, “Let her alone. Why do you make trouble for her? She has done a good thing for me.
7 The poor you will always have with you, and whenever you wish you can do good to them, but you will not always have me.
8 She has done what she could. She has anticipated anointing my body for burial.
9 Amen, I say to you, wherever the gospel is proclaimed to the whole world, what she has done will be told in memory of her.”
10 Then Judas Iscariot, one of the Twelve, went off to the chief priests to hand him over to them.
11 When they heard him they were pleased and promised to pay him money. Then he looked for an opportunity to hand him over.
12 On the first day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread, when they sacrificed the Passover lamb, his disciples said to him, “Where do you want us to go and prepare for you to eat the Passover?”
13 He sent two of his disciples and said to them, “Go into the city and a man will meet you, carrying a jar of water. Follow him.
14 Wherever he enters, say to the master of the house, ‘The Teacher says, “Where is my guest room where I may eat the Passover with my disciples?”’
15 Then he will show you a large upper room furnished and ready. Make the preparations for us there.”
16 The disciples then went off, entered the city, and found it just as he had told them; and they prepared the Passover.
17 When it was evening, he came with the Twelve.
18 And as they reclined at table and were eating, Jesus said, “Amen, I say to you, one of you will betray me, one who is eating with me.”
19 They began to be distressed and to say to him, one by one, “Surely it is not I?”
20 He said to them, “One of the Twelve, the one who dips with me into the dish.
21 For the Son of Man indeed goes, as it is written of him, but woe to that man by whom the Son of Man is betrayed. It would be better for that man if he had never been born.”
22 While they were eating, he took bread, said the blessing, broke it, and gave it to them, and said, “Take it; this is my body.”
23 Then he took a cup, gave thanks, and gave it to them, and they all drank from it.
24 He said to them, “This is my blood of the covenant, which will be shed for many.
25 Amen, I say to you, I shall not drink again the fruit of the vine until the day when I drink it new in the kingdom of God.”
26 Then, after singing a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives.
27 Then Jesus said to them, “All of you will have your faith shaken, for it is written: I will strike the shepherd, and the sheep will be dispersed.
25 Amen, I say to you, I shall not drink again the fruit of the vine until the day when I drink it new in the kingdom of God.”
26 Then, after singing a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives.
27 Then Jesus said to them, “All of you will have your faith shaken, for it is written: I will strike the shepherd, and the sheep will be dispersed.
28 But after I have been raised up, I shall go before you to Galilee.”
29 Peter said to him, “Even though all should have their faith shaken, mine will not be.”
30 Then Jesus said to him, “Amen, I say to you, this very night before the cock crows twice you will deny me three times.”
31 But he vehemently replied, “Even though I should have to die with you, I will not deny you.” And they all spoke similarly.
32 Then they came to a place named Gethsemane, and he said to his disciples, “Sit here while I pray.”
33 He took with him Peter, James, and John, and began to be troubled and distressed.
31 But he vehemently replied, “Even though I should have to die with you, I will not deny you.” And they all spoke similarly.
32 Then they came to a place named Gethsemane, and he said to his disciples, “Sit here while I pray.”
33 He took with him Peter, James, and John, and began to be troubled and distressed.
37 When he returned he found them asleep. He said to Peter, “Simon, are you asleep? Could you not keep watch for one hour?
38 Watch and pray that you may not undergo the test. The spirit is willing but the flesh is weak.”
39 Withdrawing again, he prayed, saying the same thing.
40 Then he returned once more and found them asleep, for they could not keep their eyes open and did not know what to answer him.
41 He returned a third time and said to them, “Are you still sleeping and taking your rest? It is enough. The hour has come. Behold, the Son of Man is to be handed over to sinners.
42 Get up, let us go. See, my betrayer is at hand.”
43 Then, while he was still speaking, Judas, one of the Twelve, arrived, accompanied by a crowd with swords and clubs who had come from the chief priests, the scribes, and the elders.
44 His betrayer had arranged a signal with them, saying, “The man I shall kiss is the one; arrest him and lead him away securely.”
45 He came and immediately went over to him and said, “Rabbi.” And he kissed him.
46 At this they laid hands on him and arrested him.
47 One of the bystanders drew his sword, struck the high priest’s servant, and cut off his ear.
48 Jesus said to them in reply, “Have you come out as against a robber, with swords and clubs, to seize me?
49 Day after day I was with you teaching in the temple area, yet you did not arrest me; but that the Scriptures may be fulfilled.”
50 And they all left him and fled.
51 Now a young man followed him wearing nothing but a linen cloth about his body. They seized him,
52 but he left the cloth behind and ran off naked.
53 They led Jesus away to the high priest, and all the chief priests and the elders and the scribes came together.
54 Peter followed him at a distance into the high priest’s courtyard and was seated with the guards, warming himself at the fire.
55 The chief priests and the entire Sanhedrin kept trying to obtain testimony against Jesus in order to put him to death, but they found none.
56 Many gave false witness against him, but their testimony did not agree.
57 Some took the stand and testified falsely against him, alleging,
58 “We heard him say, ‘I will destroy this temple made with hands and within three days I will build another not made with hands.’”
59 Even so their testimony did not agree.
60 The high priest rose before the assembly and questioned Jesus, saying, “Have you no answer? What are these men testifying against you?”
61 But he was silent and answered nothing. Again the high priest asked him and said to him, “Are you the Christ, the son of the Blessed One?”
62 Then Jesus answered, “I am; and ‘you will see the Son of Man seated at the right hand of the Power and coming with the clouds of heaven.’”
63 At that the high priest tore his garments and said, “what further need have we of witnesses?
64 You have heard the blasphemy. What do you think?” They all condemned him as deserving to die.
65 Some began to spit on him. They blindfolded him and struck him and said to him, “Prophesy!” And the guards greeted him with blows.
66 While Peter was below in the courtyard, one of the high priest’s maids came along.
67 Seeing Peter warming himself, she looked intently at him and said, “You too were with the Nazarene, Jesus.”
68 But he denied it saying, “I neither know nor understand what you are talking about.” So he went out into the outer court. Then the cock crowed.
69 The maid saw him and began again to say to the bystanders, “This man is one of them.”
70 Once again he denied it. A little later the bystanders said to Peter once more, “Surely you are one of them; for you too are a Galilean.”
71 He began to curse and to swear, “I do not know this man about whom you are talking.”
72 And immediately a cock crowed a second time. Then Peter remembered the word that Jesus had said to him, “Before the cock crows twice you will deny me three times.” He broke down and wept.
1 As soon as morning came, the chief priests with the elders and the scribes, that is, the whole Sanhedrin held a council. They bound Jesus, led him away, and handed him over to Pilate.
2 Pilate questioned him, “Are you the king of the Jews?” He said to him in reply, “You say so.”
3 The chief priests accused him of many things.
4 Again Pilate questioned him, “Have you no answer? See how many things they accuse you of.”
5 Jesus gave him no further answer, so that Pilate was amazed.
6 Now on the occasion of the feast he used to release to them one prisoner whom they requested.
7 A man called Barabbas was then in prison along with the rebels who had committed murder in a rebellion.
8 The crowd came forward and began to ask him to do for them as he was accustomed.
9 Pilate answered, “Do you want me to release to you the king of the Jews?”
10 For he knew that it was out of envy that the chief priests had handed him over.
11 But the chief priests stirred up the crowd to have him release Barabbas for them instead.
12 Pilate again said to them in reply, “Then what do you want me to do with the man you call the king of the Jews?”
13 They shouted again, “Crucify him.”
14 Pilate said to them, “Why? What evil has he done?” They only shouted the louder, “Crucify him.”
15 So Pilate, wishing to satisfy the crowd, released Barabbas to them and, after he had Jesus scourged, handed him over to be crucified.
16 The soldiers led him away inside the palace, that is, the praetorium, and assembled the whole cohort.
17 They clothed him in purple and, weaving a crown of thorns, placed it on him.
18 They began to salute him with, Hail, King of the Jews!”
19 and kept striking his head with a reed and spitting upon him. They knelt before him in homage.
20 And when they had mocked him, they stripped him of the purple cloak, dressed him in his own clothes, and led him out to crucify him.
21 They pressed into service a passer-by, Simon, a Cyrenian, who was coming in from the country, the father of Alexander and Rufus, to carry his cross.
22 They brought him to the place of Golgotha – which is translated Place of the Skull –
23 They gave him wine drugged with myrrh, but he did not take it.
24 Then they crucified him and divided his garments by casting lots for them to see what each should take.
25 It was nine o’clock in the morning when they crucified him.
26 The inscription of the charge against him read, “The King of the Jews.”
27 With him they crucified two revolutionaries, one on his right and one on his left.
29 Those passing by reviled him, shaking their heads and saying, “Aha! You who would destroy the temple and rebuild it in three days,
30 save yourself by coming down from the cross.”
31 Likewise the chief priests, with the scribes, mocked him among themselves and said, “He saved others; he cannot save himself.
32 Let the Christ, the King of Israel, come down now from the cross that we may see and believe.” Those who were crucified with him also kept abusing him.
33 At noon darkness came over the whole land until three in the afternoon.
34 And at three o’clock Jesus cried out in a loud voice, “Eloi, Eloi, lema sabachthani?” which is translated, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?”
35 Some of the bystanders who heard it said, “Look, he is calling Elijah.”
36 One of them ran, soaked a sponge with wine, put it on a reed and gave it to him to drink saying, “Wait, let us see if Elijah comes to take him down.”
37 Jesus gave a loud cry and breathed his last.
Here all kneel and pause for a short time.
38 The veil of the sanctuary was torn in two from top to bottom.
39 When the centurion who stood facing him saw how he breathed his last he said, “Truly this man was the Son of God!”
40 There were also women looking on from a distance. Among them were Mary Magdalene, Mary the mother of the younger James and of Joses, and Salome.
41 These women had followed him when he was in Galilee and ministered to him. There were also many other women who had come up with him to Jerusalem.
42 When it was already evening since it was the day of preparation, the day before the sabbath,
43 Joseph of Arimathea, a distinguished member of the council, who was himself awaiting the kingdom of God, came and courageously went to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus.
44 Pilate was amazed that he was already dead. He summoned the centurion and asked him if Jesus had already died.
45 And when he learned of it from the centurion, he gave the body to Joseph.
46 Having bought a linen cloth, he took him down, wrapped him in the linen cloth, and laid him in a tomb that had been hewn out of the rock. Then he rolled a stone against the entrance to the tomb.
47 Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of Joses watched where he was laid.
Homily
The Gospel of St Luke is good document from a fine human being on the human dimension of Jesus’ Passion. Luke presents many unique human viewpoints of great artist. At the Paschal Meal, for example, in Luke’s Gospel Jesus begins by telling his Apostles how eagerly he desired to eat this Passover with them before he suffered (v.15) – how wonderful human! And after Jesus instituted the Eucharist, he asked that all humankind continue to celebrate the Eucharist in memory of him (v. 19) because, sadly, he knew how easily people forget.
Even at that table, however, there were reminders that the Eucharist is no complete guarantee against the possibility of betrayal and violation of trust. There was, for example, the presence of Judas, and the other Apostle’s dispute over rank. It was poignantly tragic that the Apostles, at this of all times, hadn’t shed their ideas of earthly kingdoms. Jesus reminded them – sad that he had to – that among us it shouldn’t be like that. What the world needs, Jesus reminded them, is service – service not like a corporation’s obsequious, “May we serve you?, or an automobile “Service Station” – all for pay – but in its true sense of helping others.
Shame overshadowed the scene even more when Jesus had to foretell St Peter’s threefold denials before the crowing of the roosters early the next morning (vv. 31-34). Peter was so overconfident that he told Jesus he was prepared to go to prison and die with him (v. 33). Throughout history, persons, cities, and whole nations have been conquered because of complacent overconfidence like that. Peter was well warned. Jesus had announced that he had prayed (v. 32) that Peter’s loving attachment to him might never fail. In turn, Jesus asked that Peter strengthen his brothers – the lovely thought that, because of his experience, Peter would be better able to help others. He would be able to win trust by confiding, “I’ve been there!”
From the upper room, Jesus went as was his custom (v. 39) to the Garden of Gethsemane at the base of the Mount of Olives across the Kidron Valley from Jerusalem. Luke’s reflective account says that Jesus went to the garden at this time not simply to escape his enemies, but to think and pray and fight his lonely battle through. No one wants to die at the age thirty-three. Jesus’ fight was a turning –point. He could still have refused. The salvation of the world hung in the balance. His initial prayer was that the Father take away this fearful duty, but he concluded that he really wanted the Father’s will, no matter what (v. 42). So great was his fear, though, that his sweat became like drops of blood (v. 44) as his body prepared for flight or fight. Evil’s darkness gathered fast. Judas’ knowledge of Jesus’ habit of going to Gethsemane and of a time when no crowds would be present made it easy for him to have Jesus quietly arrested.
The primal act of betrayal has always been captivating. Dante reserved the Ninth Circle of Hell, its bottom, for betrayers – Judas, the betrayer of Jesus, and Brutus and Cassius, the betrayers of Julius Caesar. They were frozen in ice, because they were betrayers of friends; through their betrayal they had ceased to have the capacity for love and so for heaven. The betrayer doesn’t just commit a single treacherous act and run; his entire being – every smile, every word he exchanges – is an intimate violation of all those around him. With all modern traitors from Benedict Arnold through Kim Philby and Aldrich Ames, all their friendships and relationships become elaborate lies requiring unceasing vigilance to maintain, lies that only they can follow. Even in our jaded age, the crime of treason still has a primitive power to shock, treachery a still-compelling ability to mesmerize.
The Apostles, not fully comprehending what was going on, got excited to the point of one of them cutting off the ear of the high priest’s servant (v. 50). Jesus’ response was the same frustrated sad sigh as when they hadn’t understood him at the table, “Stop! No more of this!” (v.51), and he healed the wounded man’s ear. As those who had come for him (v. 52) circled closer, Jesus observed that the darkness was deepening (v. 53).
The darkness closed in still more with the denials of Peter in the courtyard of the house of the high priest (vv. 54- 62). Although Peter had the courage to follow Jesus there, and certainly ran more risks doing that than the others who scampered for safety, he failed. Only Luke records that then the Lord turned and looked at Peter (v. 61). That look, that special look, the heartbreak in that loved one’s eyes, stabbed Peter like a sword. Peter could have stood it more easily if Jesus had gotten angry. It was more than Peter could bear, and this strong man went out and cried intensely (v. 62).
After the guards’ mockery of Jesus (vv. 63-65), he was ushered before the elders, chief priests, and scribes who, together with the presiding high priest, constituted the Sanhedrin, the High Court of the land. With an admixture of self-protective cunning, honest religious devotion, and fanaticism, the Sanhedrin’s charge against him was blasphemy. Considered an insult to God’s majesty, this was so serious as to be punishable by death. Jesus was asking people for simple love; the false charges insured that he wouldn’t receive even simple justice.
Because by the law of the Roman army of occupation the Jews didn’t have the right to put anyone to death, the entire High Court propelled Jesus to the local Roman official who had that right-Pontius Pilate. Before this outsider, the Sanhedrin’s duplicity came to the fore with their deliberate change of charge from blasphemy into three crimes against the State: subversion, opposing the payment of taxes, and setting himself up as a king to rival Caesar (v. 2). When Pilate questioned Jesus about his being king, Jesus – knowing that he was certainly not the kind of king that Pilate had in mind – answered, “You say so” (v. 3). Pilate reported to the Sanhedrin that he found no legal cause of action (v. 4), thus officially declaring the case ended for want of sufficient evidence.
Because the members of the Sanhedrin weren’t satisfied with this, Pilate settled for the ruse of sending Jesus to Herod (vv. 8-12). Herod, looking upon Jesus as a spectacle and considering him of no importance, was so immersed in self-centered pleasure that he was one of the few people whom Jesus found impossible to reach and to whom he had absolutely nothing to say. (v. 9).
So they took him back to Pilate. The upper classes – mostly the chief priests and the rulers (v. 13) – were afraid that through Jesus’ influence they might lose their wealth, their comfort, and their power. So they incited, the people, forming them into a mob. Pilate, a hard bitten Roman administrator, saw through them. Desperately trying to give a last chance to the imperial justice that he knew to be the glory of Rome, he proposed to appease the mob and save himself. This only resulted in the crowd crying out, “Away with this man!” (v. 18) – the only time in Luke’s entire Gospel that the crowd ever turned from Jesus.
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