Palm Sunday of the Lord’s Passion
Over the last two weeks I have spent much time in the confessional. And I have heard amazing stories of conversion. Both kids preparing for Confirmation and RCIA candidates preparing for baptism and reception into the church have been tremendous witness to me. I have been drawn to tears with their humility, their desire for God, and their willingness to follow Christ. I felt challenged by these conversion stories. As Holy Week approaches, these conversion stories have compelled me to evaluate my own Lenten journey. So I decided to go through all the homilies I preached and evaluate my life. I hope this reflection will be useful for you as well.
1. On the first Sunday of Lent, I reflected on becoming aware of the strife between good and evil in our personal lives. In reflecting upon the fall of the first man and woman, and reflecting upon the temptation of Christ in the desert, I wanted to become aware of the potential for evil within my own self. And I did become aware of my potential for pride, my capacity for arrogance, my weakness for spiritual discipline, my desire for control and faith in my own abilities. But I also wanted to be aware of the greater power at work within me – the grace of God. Today, I invite you to reflect upon your own Lenten journey. I hope you have walked the journey with Christ. I hope your Lenten journey has helped you have greater control of the power for evil within you. I hope your Lenten reflection has led you to a greater awareness of the power of God within you.
2. The story of the Samaritan woman on the third Sunday of Lent was particularly important for me. I had decided to connect my craving for the things I decided to give up for Lent with my desire for God. My resolution this Lent was to work on my need for humility. I wanted my desire for God to be far greater than my desire for my own needs, my own points of view, and my reliance on my own abilities. This Lent has been a challenging Lent for me. I hope that as Lent approaches you are not waiting merely to enjoy the things you gave up for Lent – the first sip of coffee after the vigil, the first piece of chocolate at the crack of dawn, or the first beer at the family meal. I hope in your heart there is a greater desire for God. I hope as you disciplined yourself this Lent that you realized that all your desires must lead you the greatest desire – God.
3. On the fourth Sunday of Lent, I reflected on the story of the blind man. I remember preaching that, in fact, this story was not as much the story of the blind man as it was the story of Jesus. The gospel of John presents Jesus as the Savior of the world. In this context it was not the physical healing of the blind that was the real story but it was the opening of his life to Christ that was the real healing. It was only the faith confession of the blind man gave him any role in the story. And I remember saying that if the Jesus story is the real story, then Jesus’ story and our story must become one. In fact, I said that salvation happens when our story and the Jesus story becomes one. Here then is that all important question: How are you living the Jesus story? How is the story of Christ being lived out through you? I hope this Lent, Christ has had a chance to live through you.
As went enter Holy Week, and as we come before this altar, we are invited once again to become one with Christ, who as the second reading says, “emptied himself, took the form of a slave, and became obedient unto death, even death of a cross.” I urge each of us to stay close to Christ this week. May the Events of Christ’s passion and death, lead us to the resurrection. Amen.
Fr. Satish Joseph