The Journey of Human Redemption"

Palm Sunday Readings

Palm Sunday commemorates Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem. Every devout Jew of Jesus’ time knew the meaning of him entering the city “riding on a donkey.” Jesus himself knew what he was doing, and his supporters and enemies knew the claim that Jesus was making. Jesus was announcing in the most obvious way his role in the history of human salvation. Jesus was staking his claim as the messiah and redeemer. However, Palm Sunday begins the journey of Jesus into the deepest recesses of human sin. But because he entered the story of human darkness as the messiah, the same journey became the story of human redemption from darkness and death. Today’s readings give us a glimpse of the Messiah’s character and the significance of his entry into Jerusalem. In the first reading from the book of Isaiah, the Messiah is described as a “suffering messiah.” This suffering is not a meaningless, sadistic kind of suffering, but rather, the kind that expresses solidarity with other suffering people. His embrace of suffering is an antidote to human desire to escape their humanity.

Jesus’ journey had an ultimate end – human redemption. The story of our redemption is an act of love. We will see God’s love being played out during Holy Week, reaching its climax on Good Friday.

Our redemption, however, does not happen as an automatic side effect of Jesus’ loving self-sacrifice. Rather, God’s love awaits a human response. Our redemption lies in an unconditional yes to God’s unconditional love.

Let our love toward God and our fellow human beings know no limits this week. In love, let us not hesitate to enter into other people’s lives so that we can redeem them. In love, let us even be prepared to enter into the darkness other people experience so that we can redeem them. In redeeming them we will find our own salvation.

- Fr. Satish Joseph