14 April 2019
Palm Sunday
The readings today offer us two gospel passages in sharp contrast. The first is Jesus’ triumphant entry into Jerusalem. Elation fills the air as Christ’s many disciples welcome him. It is a joy that cannot be contained. The Master is among them. Wouldn’t we be the same way? Jesus himself says that “if they keep silent, the stones will cry out!”
The second gospel passage could not be any more different. Instead of the joy and elation of his disciples, we find fear, denial, betrayal and one more thing that marks a big difference, silence. Jesus is forsaken by the overwhelming majority of his followers, left to die in the silence of a crowd dispersed by fear.
As we enter into this sacred time of Holy Week commemorating the mystery of our salvation, let us spend time in silence together with Jesus, may it be not a silence of fear, but a silence of love and contemplation.