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Saturday, April 04, 2020

Reflection for Sunday April 5, Palm Sunday of the Passion of the Lord: Matthew 27:11-54

Gospel: Matthew 27:11-54
Jesus stood before the governor, Pontius Pilate, who questioned him, “Are you the king of the Jews?” Jesus said, “You say so.” And when he was accused by the chief priests and elders, he made no answer. Then Pilate said to him, “Do you not hear how many things they are testifying against you?” But he did not answer him one word, so that the governor was greatly amazed.

Now on the occasion of the feast the governor was accustomed to release to the crowd one prisoner whom they wished. And at that time they had a notorious prisoner called Barabbas. So when they had assembled, Pilate said to them, “Which one do you want me to release to you, Barabbas, or Jesus called Christ?” For he knew that it was out of envy that they had handed him over. 

While he was still seated on the bench, his wife sent him a message, “Have nothing to do with that righteous man. I suffered much in a dream today because of him.” The chief priests and the elders persuaded the crowds to ask for Barabbas but to destroy Jesus. The governor said to them in reply, “Which of the two do you want me to release to you?”They answered, ABarabbas!” Pilate said to them, “Then what shall I do with Jesus called Christ?” They all said, “Let him be crucified!” 

But he said, “Why? What evil has he done?” They only shouted the louder, “Let him be crucified!” When Pilate saw that he was not succeeding at all, but that a riot was breaking out instead, he took water and washed his hands in the sight of the crowd, saying, “I am innocent of this man’s blood. Look to it yourselves.” And the whole people said in reply, “His blood be upon us and upon our children.” Then he released Barabbas to them, but after he had Jesus scourged, he handed him over to be crucified.

Then the soldiers of the governor took Jesus inside the praetorium and gathered the whole cohort around him. They stripped off his clothes and threw a scarlet military cloak about him. Weaving a crown out of thorns, they placed it on his head, and a reed in his right hand. And kneeling before him, they mocked him, saying, “Hail, King of the Jews!” They spat upon him and took the reed and kept striking him on the head. And when they had mocked him, they stripped him of the cloak, dressed him in his own clothes, and led him off to crucify him.

As they were going out, they met a Cyrenian named Simon; this man they pressed into service to carry his cross. And when they came to a place called Golgotha — which means Place of the Skull —, they gave Jesus wine to drink mixed with gall. But when he had tasted it, he refused to drink. After they had crucified him, they divided his garments by casting lots; then they sat down and kept watch over him there. And they placed over his head the written charge against him: This is Jesus, the King of the Jews. 

Two revolutionaries were crucified with him, one on his right and the other on his left. Those passing by reviled him, shaking their heads and saying, “You who would destroy the temple and rebuild it in three days, save yourself, if you are the Son of God, and come down from the cross!” Likewise the chief priests with the scribes and elders mocked him and said, “He saved others; he cannot save himself. So he is the king of Israel! Let him come down from the cross now, and we will believe in him. He trusted in God; let him deliver him now if he wants him. For he said, ‘I am the Son of God.’” The revolutionaries who were crucified with him also kept abusing him in the same way.

From noon onward, darkness came over the whole land until three in the afternoon. And about three o’clock Jesus cried out in a loud voice, “Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?” which means, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” Some of the bystanders who heard it said, “This one is calling for Elijah.” Immediately one of them ran to get a sponge; he soaked it in wine, and putting it on a reed, gave it to him to drink. But the rest said, ‘Wait, let us see if Elijah comes to save him.” But Jesus cried out again in a loud voice, and gave up his spirit.

And behold, the veil of the sanctuary was torn in two from top to bottom. The earth quaked, rocks were split, tombs were opened, and the bodies of many saints who had fallen asleep were raised. And coming forth from their tombs after his resurrection, they entered the holy city and appeared to many. The centurion and the men with him who were keeping watch over Jesus feared greatly when they saw the earthquake and all that was happening, and they said,
“Truly, this was the Son of God!”
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Reflection:
A famous man once said: “Victory has many fathers and defeat is an orphan.” This probably would explain the scenario of our Palm Sunday gospel. By virtue of His miraculous deeds Jesus gained many followers. But as He was being persecuted by the Jewish authorities the followers slowly evaporated from His sight.

This basically is how many people still follow Jesus today, it is loyalty based on what He can do for us. If He can’t do anymore miracles in our lives we slowly leave Him for the Gods of this world. Such as the God called greed, the God called lust, the God called power and many more false and fleeting Gods that this temporary world offers us.

Jesus becomes a God of convenience for many of us. If it’s convenient to follow the Lord we follow if it’s not we don’t follow. This is primarily the reason why many of us fall into the many temptations of this world. For example, if there’s a temptation to cheat on the marriage covenant. Many purposely dump the Lord to grab the temptation of Satan to cheat on their  marriage notwithstanding the misery that will befall them afterwards.  

When Jesus was entering Jerusalem riding an ass He was at the height of His popularity that’s why hundreds of people were rejoicing, crying and shouting, hosanna to the son of David.

Then after He was betrayed by Judas and subsequently caught by the Jewish authorities and tortured by the roman soldiers the followers started to walk away from Him.

We find in the Life of Jesus the paradox of human loyalty. That it is mainly based on what a person can do to us. If this person can give us what we want from him we would continue to follow. But the moment this person becomes powerless our loyalty evaporates as well.

It happened to Jesus, the very people who were shouting hosanna to the son of David upon His entry to Jerusalem. Were the very same people who shouted before Pilate: crucify him, crucify him!

As we journey this Holy Week quarantined in our respective homes because of the Covid-19 virus. We will once again go through the passion of Jesus and His death on the cross.

Let us reflect on the loyalty that we give to the Lord and let us ask ourselves this question: Is my loyalty to Jesus based on my own convenience only? – Marino J. Dasmarinas

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