'Verso l'alto - To the heights.' Sunday Reflections, Palm Sunday, Year C

 

Palm Sunday, East Timor

[Wikipedia; photo]

Readings (Jerusalem Bible: Australia, England & Wales, Ireland, New Zealand, Pakistan, Scotland, South Africa)

The gospel for the procession with palms is included here as is the Passion according to St Luke arranged for reading by  N. Narrator. ✠ Jesus. O. Other single speaker. C. Crowd, or more than one speaker.

Readings (New American Bible: Philippines, USA)

The gospel for the procession with palms is included here as is

the shorter form of the Passion according to St Luke, Luke 23:1-49.

Gospel for procession of Palms Luke 19:28-40 (English Standard Version Anglicised: India)  

When Jesus had said these things, he went on ahead, going up to Jerusalem. When he drew near to Bethphage and Bethany, at the mount that is called Olivet, he sent two of the disciples, saying, “Go into the village in front of you, where on entering you will find a colt tied, on which no one has ever yet sat. Untie it and bring it here. If anyone asks you, ‘Why are you untying it?’ you shall say this: ‘The Lord has need of it.’” So those who were sent went away and found it just as he had told them. And as they were untying the colt, its owners said to them, “Why are you untying the colt?” And they said, “The Lord has need of it.” And they brought it to Jesus, and throwing their cloaks on the colt, they set Jesus on it. And as he rode along, they spread their cloaks on the road. As he was drawing near—already on the way down the Mount of Olives—the whole multitude of his disciples began to rejoice and praise God with a loud voice for all the mighty works that they had seen, saying, “Blessed is the King who comes in the name of the Lord! Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!” And some of the Pharisees in the crowd said to him, “Teacher, rebuke your disciples.” He answered, “I tell you, if these were silent, the very stones would cry out.”

 

Léachtaí i nGaeilge

Entry into Jerusalem, 

Lorenzo Ghiberti [Web Gallery of Art]

Pope Benedict on Palm Sunday

In years when World Youth Day isn't celebrated overseas it is observed in Rome on Palm Sunday. That's where it took place in 2007. Here are extracts from Pope Benedict's homily that day, emphases added.

Dear Brothers and Sisters, Dear Young People,

The Gospel of the blessing of the palms that we have heard gathered here in St Peter's Square, begins with the sentence: '[Jesus] went on ahead, going up to Jerusalem' (Lk 19: 28). At the very beginning of today's Liturgy, the Church anticipates her response to the Gospel saying: "Let us follow the Lord". This clearly expresses the theme of Palm Sunday. It is the sequela (consequence). Being Christian means considering the way of Jesus Christ as the right way for being human as that way which leads to our destination, to a completely fulfilled and authentic humanity. In a special way I would like to repeat to all young people on this 25th World Youth Day that being Christian is a path or, better, a pilgrimage; it is to travel with Jesus Christ, to journey in the direction he has pointed out and is pointing out to us.

But what direction is this? How do we find it? Our Gospel passage offers two clues in this regard. In the first place it says that it is an ascent. This has first of all a very concrete meaning. Jericho, where the last part of Jesus' pilgrimage began, is 250 metres below sea-level, whereas Jerusalem the destination is located at 740 to 780 metres above sea level: a climb of almost 1,000 metres. But this external route is above all an image of the internal movement of existence that occurs in the following of Christ: it is an ascent to the true heights of being human. Man can choose an easy path and avoid every effort. He can also sink to the low and the vulgar. He can flounder in the swamps of falsehood and dishonesty. Jesus walks before us and towards the heights. He leads us to what is great, pure. He leads us to that healthy air of the heights: to life in accordance with the truth; to courage that does not let itself be intimidated by the gossip of prevalent opinions; to patience that bears with and sustains the other. He guides people to be open towards the suffering, to those who are neglected. He leads us to stand loyally by the other, even when the situation becomes difficult. He leads us to the readiness to give help; to the goodness that does not let itself be disarmed, even by ingratitude. He leads us to love; he leads us to God.

. . . Jesus knows that his way goes further: the Cross will not be his end. He knows that his journey will rend the veil between this world and God's world; that he will ascend to the throne of God and reconcile God and man in his Body . . .  

. . . Since the way to true life, to being people in conformity with the model of the Son of God Jesus Christ, surpasses our own strength, this journey always means being carried. We find ourselves, so to speak, roped to Jesus Christ together with him on the ascent towards God's heights. He pulls and supports us. It is part of following Christ that we allow ourselves to be roped together; that we acknowledge we cannot do it alone. This act of humility, entering into the 'we' of the Church is part of it; holding tight to the rope, the responsibility of communion not breaking the rope through stubbornness or self-importance. Humbly believing, with the Church, like being a roped-party on the ascent towards God, is an essential condition for the following of Christ. This being roped together also entails not behaving as masters of the Word of God, not running after a mistaken idea of emancipation. The humility of 'being with' is essential for the ascent . . . 

Blessed Pier Giorgio mountain climbing in 1924 

[Wikipedia]

We find ourselves, so to speak, roped to Jesus Christ together with him on the ascent towards God's heights.

. . . Let us sum up: the following of Christ requires, as a first step, a reawakening of the desire to be authentic human beings and thus the reawakening of oneself for God. It then requires us to join the climbing party, in the communion of the Church. In the 'we' of the Church we enter into communion with the 'you' of Jesus Christ and thus reach the path to God. We are also asked to listen to the Word of Jesus Christ and to live it: in faith, hope and love. Thus we are on the way toward the definitive Jerusalem and, from this moment, in a certain way, we already find ourselves there, in the communion of all God's Saints.

Our pilgrimage following Christ is not therefore bound for an earthly city, but for the new City of God that develops in the midst of this world . . . 

Pope Benedict XVI, 2013

[Wikipedia; photo]

Blessed Pier Giorgio Frassati

by Bishop David M. O'Connell CM of Trenton, New Jersey

Verso l'alto - To the heights

Humbly believing, with the Church, like being a roped-party on the ascent towards God, is an essential condition for the following of Christ. This being roped together also entails not behaving as masters of the Word of God, not running after a mistaken idea of emancipation. The humility of 'being with' is essential for the ascent . . . 

Blessed Pier Giorgio Frassati (1910 - 1925) is one of the patron saints of World Youth Day.

Blessed Pier Giorgio, patron of young adults, man of the beatitudes, pray for us.

Traditional Latin Mass

Palm Sunday

The Complete Mass in Latin and English is here. (Adjust the date at the top of that page to 4-10-2022 if necessary).

Gospel for Blessing of Palms: Matthew 21:1-9 

Epistle: Philippians 2:5-11.  Gospel: Matthew 26:36 - 27:60.

Christ Carrying the Cross

El Greco [Web Gallery of Art]

Deaths of Two More Columban Priests

Please pray for the repose of the souls of Fr Aodh O’Halpin and Fr Daniel O’Gorman who died last weekend.

I have posted about them here.

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