Palm Sunday of the Lord’s Passion March 20, 2016
At the Procession with Palms – Gospel Lk 19:28-40
At the Mass – Reading 1 Is 50:4-7
Responsorial Psalm Ps 22:8-9, 17-18, 19-20, 23-24
- My God, my God, why have you abandoned me?
Reading 2 Phil 2:6-11
Verse Before the Gospel Phil 2:8-9
Gospel Lk 22:14—23:56
Homily— March 19 & 20, 2016
The directives for this Mass indicate that the homily should be brief. I will see how I can do with that.
Most of you know that we will be fixing the leaks in our church roof this year from the appeal mailed out to you this week. Extra envelopes to support this roof repair are at the church entrances. The minimum cost is $238,000 without including the interior repair. Thanks for all of your support for this major project.
On March 10 I received word that the company that submitted the proposal to the state to build senior housing missed getting the tax credits they need to build by the narrowest of margins. We will be open to looking at other options in the future. They may make another effort next year unless we have a better offer before then.
This is one of the top four favorite celebrations of the church year. The other three are Christmas, Easter and Ash Wednesday. Thanks for being here with us.
Who do we celebrate? What does it mean to walk this path? We are here to celebrate Christ Jesus who emptied himself to become one of us. He was obedient all the way to his death on the cross for us. He gave his back to those who beat him and accepted the insults and spitting upon his face.
Today we are here with all those who want to honor Christ. The proclamation of the passion invites us to walk with Jesus through his last day of mortal life. This Holy Week becomes powerful when you come and celebrate with us the Last Supper on Holy Thursday, the Crucifixion on Good Friday and the Easter Vigil on Holy Saturday and the Resurrection on Easter Sunday.
Pope Benedict XVI wrote that “ Only when someone values love more highly than life, that is, only where someone is ready to put life second to love, for the sake of love, can love be stronger and more than death. If it is to be more than death it must first be more than mere life.Jesus’ total love for men, which leads him to the cross, is perfected in total stepping-over to the Father and therein becomes stronger than death.”
Palm Sunday can help us face the reality that life involves suffering. How we embrace this and face this will determine our happiness.
Happiness in the scriptures is not equated with pleasure. Happiness in the Scriptures is marked by the contentment that comes with the faith that God stands with us in all things. May you find God standing with you.