Palm Sunday of the Lord’s Passion
By Lorenz S. Centino, Jr.
Matthew 27: 11 - 54
11 Now Jesus stood before the governor; and the governor asked him, "Are you the King of the Jews?" Jesus said, "You have said so." 12 But when he was accused by the chief priests and elders, he made no answer. 13 Then Pilate said to him, "Do you not hear how many things they testify against you?" 14 But he gave him no answer, not even to a single charge; so that the governor wondered greatly. 15 Now at the feast the governor was accustomed to release for the crowd any one prisoner whom they wanted. 16 And they had then a notorious prisoner, called Barab'bas. 17 So when they had gathered, Pilate said to them, "Whom do you want me to release for you, Barab'bas or Jesus who is called Christ?" 18 For he knew that it was out of envy that they had delivered him up. 19 Besides, while he was sitting on the judgment seat, his wife sent word to him, "Have nothing to do with that righteous man, for I have suffered much over him today in a dream." 20 Now the chief priests and the elders persuaded the people to ask for Barab'bas and destroy Jesus. 21 The governor again said to them, "Which of the two do you want me to release for you?" And they said, "Barab'bas." 22 Pilate said to them, "Then what shall I do with Jesus who is called Christ?" They all said, "Let him be crucified." 23 And he said, "Why, what evil has he done?" But they shouted all the more, "Let him be crucified." 24 So when Pilate saw that he was gaining nothing, but rather that a riot was beginning, he took water and washed his hands before the crowd, saying, "I am innocent of this man's blood; see to it yourselves." 25 And all the people answered, "His blood be on us and on our children!" 26 Then he released for them Barab'bas, and having scourged Jesus, delivered him to be crucified. 27 Then the soldiers of the governor took Jesus into the praetorium, and they gathered the whole battalion before him. 28 And they stripped him and put a scarlet robe upon him, 29 and plaiting a crown of thorns they put it on his head, and put a reed in his right hand. And kneeling before him they mocked him, saying, "Hail, King of the Jews!" 30 And they spat upon him, and took the reed and struck him on the head. 31 And when they had mocked him, they stripped him of the robe, and put his own clothes on him, and led him away to crucify him. 32 As they went out, they came upon a man of Cyre'ne, Simon by name; this man they compelled to carry his cross. 33 And when they came to a place called Gol'gotha (which means the place of a skull), 34 they offered him wine to drink, mingled with gall; but when he tasted it, he would not drink it. 35 And when they had crucified him, they divided his garments among them by casting lots; 36 then they sat down and kept watch over him there. 37 And over his head they put the charge against him, which read, "This is Jesus the King of the Jews." 38 Then two robbers were crucified with him, one on the right and one on the left. 39 And those who passed by derided him, wagging their heads 40 and saying, "You who would destroy the temple and build it in three days, save yourself! If you are the Son of God, come down from the cross." 41 So also the chief priests, with the scribes and elders, mocked him, saying, 42 "He saved others; he cannot save himself. He is the King of Israel; let him come down now from the cross, and we will believe in him. 43 He trusts in God; let God deliver him now, if he desires him; for he said, `I am the Son of God.'" 44 And the robbers who were crucified with him also reviled him in the same way. 45 Now from the sixth hour there was darkness over all the land until the ninth hour. 46 And about the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, "Eli, Eli, la'ma sabach-tha'ni?" that is, "My God, my God, why hast thou forsaken me?" 47 And some of the bystanders hearing it said, "This man is calling Eli'jah." 48 And one of them at once ran and took a sponge, filled it with vinegar, and put it on a reed, and gave it to him to drink. 49 But the others said, "Wait, let us see whether Eli'jah will come to save him." 50 And Jesus cried again with a loud voice and yielded up his spirit. 51 And behold, the curtain of the temple was torn in two, from top to bottom; and the earth shook, and the rocks were split; 52 the tombs also were opened, and many bodies of the saints who had fallen asleep were raised, 53 and coming out of the tombs after his resurrection they went into the holy city and appeared to many. 54 When the centurion and those who were with him, keeping watch over Jesus, saw the earthquake and what took place, they were filled with awe, and said, "Truly this was the Son of God!"
PERSONAL REFLECTIONS:
A BLESSED PALM SUNDAY TO ALL!!!
Today we celebrate the Palm Sunday which commemorates the entrance of Jesus to Jerusalem where he was acclaimed by the people as a KING. Before Jesus was brought before the governor and the chief priests for interrogation Jesus had a very dramatic or prophetic entrance to Jerusalem riding on a colt. When the people saw him, many spread their garments on the road, while others cut branches from trees and spread them on the road, as an expression of warm welcome.
The crowd went with him shouting “"Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest!” (Matthew 21:9). Jesus was welcomed almost with festivities because the crowd considered him as the FULFILLMENT of the prophecy about the coming of the Messiah, the Anointed One who will save them. The people were in high spirit in accepting Jesus because he FITS into their idea of what the Messiah will be. They look at him to be like King David who is their great leader and savior from their enemies. They even PRAISE the Lord for sending to them someone who will be their KING who will FIGHT for them. They might have thought, therefore, that Jesus coming to Jerusalem is the time for their LIBERATION. They could have thought that Jesus was then about to confront the powerful who oppress them. They SUPPORT Jesus because he was what they THOUGHT he should be.
However, Jesus knew too well what awaited him in Jerusalem- betrayal, mockery, torture, crucifixion and death. When Jesus was so QUITE and TIMID before the powerful when he was asked to be the King of the Jews, the people were disappointed. They were full of indignation against Jesus. What they could have thought to be their KING is just but an impostor. Their initial support for Jesus was then transformed into CONDEMNATION! Their shouts of “HOSANNA” were transformed into a violent demand of “CRUCIFY HIM!” When Jesus was about to be led to his crucifixion, there are those who mocked him saying "Hail, King of the Jews!" Now Jesus was proclaimed a king but not in adoration and respect due to a King but as an insult and mockery to an impostor. Jesus did NOT FIT their idea of a TRUE KING!
Today, let us examine our hearts as to who Jesus really is for us. Is the Jesus we know a Jesus that FITS only our OWN idea as to what and who he should be for us? Is our adoration of Jesus based upon how he FULFILLS our personal EXPECTATIONS from him? If yes is our answer, we should not be surprised to find ourselves at times DISAPPOINTED with Jesus for not “doing” or “giving” or “fulfilling” what we expect from him. We should not “define” who Jesus is according to our own standards. In that case, we will be making a Jesus based on our OWN DESIGNS. We should not invent a Jesus according to our own personal interest and convenience. If this will be the case, in many instances, we will find ourselves BETRAYING, MOCKING, and CRUCIFYING Jesus all over again and again. Instead, let us accept who Jesus is as he reveals himself to us by his WORDS and DEEDS.
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