Matthew 21:1-11 Isaiah 50:4-7 Philippians 2:6-11 Matthew 26:14–27:66

The Church’s Palm Sunday liturgy begins with an assembly out of doors, at some distance away from the usual place of worship. Everyone ought to gather there, not in the church building. But, parish ministers, be prudent when engaging those few in each parish for whom claim to a seat overrides any good sense of “full, conscious and active participation” in the liturgy! Outside, a Gospel account of Jesus’ Triumphal Entry into Jerusalem is proclaimed, the palm branches which give title to the Sunday are blessed, and a commemorative procession (including some light-hearted chaos, to be sure!) to the usual place of worship is engaged by all. Matthews’ account of the Passion Narrative will be proclaimed. The word “passion” is a noun for Jesus’ suffering described in today’s texts. The word “passionate” connotes significant intensity of feeling and emotion. The Gospel announcement of the suffering and death of Jesus is often labeled “the Passion of Christ” or “the Passion Narrative.” Each of the four canonical Gospels has one, and each is at once similar to and different from the others. A common scholarly opinion is that the earliest proclaimed Gospel message (i.e., the Kerygma) which began at Pentecost was essentially a simple account of the Passion Narrative along with the good news of the Jesus’ Resurrection. The other Gospel anecdotes – stories, vignettes and parables about Christology, discipleship, ministry, God’s kingdom, miracles, controversies, healings, and even the infancy narratives which found their ways into two of the written Gospels – were gleaned from the large amount of Gospel lore in the oral tradition of the first few generations of Christianity.

The earliest Christians were Jews familiar with the practices and customs at the Jerusalem Temple. Theological reflection of those early Christians drew upon the vocabulary familiar to them which described temple worship and Jewish religious faith and practice, e.g., offering, victim, sacrifice, high priest, Sanhedrin, paschal lamb, atonement, expiation, propitiation, reconciliation, righteousness, etc. Conspiracy, betrayal, false accusation, court hearing, and the physical abusiveness and degradations of mocking, scourging and crucifixion – all these words describe the harshness of life in Imperial Roman Palestine in the tenure of Pontius Pilate (26-36 AD) during the reign of Tiberius Caesar (14-37 AD). These vocabulary words and circumstances are generally quite alien to us in how we speak and think today. So, we will more effectively hear the proclamation of God’s Word about Jesus’ suffering, death and resurrection if we listen more attentively and thoughtfully than we usually do. To make meaningful sense of the Gospel for our own times and places we might further use our imaginations to evaluate our own relationships, and how we use power over others, and how we see others use power they have over others, both within and outside the Church. The prophetic dimension of the Gospel message serves to provoke us into active and engaged reflection about our lives with God and each other.

In Matthew’s account of Jesus’ Triumphal Entry into Jerusalem, the crowds acclaimed, “Hosanna to the Son of David; blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!” Luke’s account (last year) allowed the crowd to insinuate that Jesus was a much hoped-for political messiah. Matthew’s Gospel tradition placed Jesus in the royal lineage of David and called him a prophet, i.e., a religious messiah. A prophet was one who, as God’s mouthpiece, critiqued and evaluated, chastised and reproved, provoked and incited God’s people into more profound thoughtfulness and self-criticism. Note, too, that Jesus was, in Matthew’s account of the triumphal entry into the holy city, “from Nazareth in Galilee.” In Matthew’s infancy Gospel narratives (Matt 2:1-12), in the section with the magi, it was important that the messiah was “from Bethlehem in Judea.” Even in the same Gospel account, there is a mysterious quality about Jesus, especially about his origins and the source of his authority as a prophet and messiah.

Isaiah’s lesson might be considered the prophetic constitution for all who proclaim, teach or otherwise announce God’s Word whether preaching at liturgy or in teaching or evangelizing. Lectors, deacons, priests, catechists and evangelists must hear these words as a description of themselves (whether or not one wears a beard). The well-trained tongue, the energetic ability to rouse the weary and to motivate the discouraged, the skillful and engaging Spirit-filled herald – these communicate God’s message in ways that demonstrate the very power of God. Anything less is unjust, ineffective and unfaithful to the Word. Poor preparation, mispronunciation, inept phraseology, lifeless or wooden delivery, apathetic or detached tone of voice – these impede the Good News from either Testament. Today, lectors, deacons, priests and catechists must be the dynamic equivalence of the ancient inspired prophets if they are to be faithful to God’s message. Formal equivalency in any setting is simply too superficial and shallow, and too loyal to mere human preference and outward appearances. God bless all who effectively proclaim the Word with power and grace by elegant and effective use of language!

The famous Christ Hymn in Philippians is an enigmatic description of the power of God freely reduced to powerlessness. Purposefully done for the very sake of demonstrating Jesus’ perfect love and total attentiveness to God, this poetry allows God’s power to be seen in ways at once poetic yet unmistakable. It is first a hymn of generous self-abasement, conveying the willingness of Jesus as savior to spend and sacrifice himself for the good of others even at the cost of his life and dignity. Secondly, it becomes a hymn of exaltation showing how God’s power raised up Jesus to glory, not abandoning him in abuse and death, but enfolding him in everlasting power, glory, and life. That glory is a future gift from which Jesus excludes no one. This pairing of human self-emptying (in Greek: kenosis) with divine exaltation is the dynamic model for all who have been buried in the waters of Baptism and then raised up to the Chrismation (anointing with Chrism) of the Spirit. This hymn, then, becomes an anthem of faith for all disciples of the Risen Christ.

Matthew’s Passion Narrative is proclaimed today and, except in rather grave circumstances, the longer form of the reading should be used. This is adult Liturgy of the Word at it’s most powerful. To abbreviate the Good News of the Paschal Mystery cheats the assembly. In whatever mode the text is proclaimed, make sure that it is well prepared in order to be effective, well-heard, and without avoidable distractions. Use the best voices possible. Today’s occasion is one reason why every church setting must have the very best possible audio system for those who participate. A homily is expected, even demanded, by good liturgical sense. It must continue the Good News and exhort, encourage, and enable the assembly to embrace the Paschal Mystery both personally and communally. A dramatic proclamation of the Passion Narrative with multiple voices is appropriate today.

While Matthew’s Passion Narrative is different from the other Passion Narratives, we might focus on some particular differences from our vantage points as grace-filled sinners. It is in Matthew’s narrative that Jesus actually addresses Judas Iscariot during the Last Supper. Judas soon came to regret his betrayal of an innocent man, announced his repentance, and hurled his thirty pieces of silver at the Jerusalem Temple. Finally, overcome by his remorse, he took his own life by hanging. Christians lay a heavy burden of guilt on Judas Iscariot, generally choosing to remain silent about his repentance. Perhaps some serious reflection – on the meaning behind true repentance and overwhelming appreciation of one’s sin, and what such a burden can lead to – is in order for us today. Perhaps we heap and project our own sinfulness upon Judas in order to lighten our own load. Are not all acts of betrayal akin to Judas’ betrayal of Jesus as true friend ? Are not all sincere assertions of repentance and contrition worthy of our hearing and acceptance? Have we not all been touched by the actions of loved ones, friends, and acquaintances who fall into overwhelming hopelessness in life? Are not we sometimes very harsh on those who tragically perform rashly destructive actions? Might not a fuller understanding of Gospel Grace – who Jesus Christ is and what is demanded by discipleship in his Gospel message of repentance, reconciliation, loving forgiveness, genuine justice, peace, and truth – make us all better than we might be without such insight?

Another insight in Matthew’s Passion Narrative is found among the narrative details about Pontius Pilate. Matthew relates that during Jesus’ trial Pilate received a message from his wife which described Jesus as an innocent man and urged Pilate not to be involved in this injustice. So before the verdict, Pilate washed his hands of the envious hatred shouted by the crowd at the behest of the religious leaders. Matthew’s account placed a particularly vicious phrase on the lips of the crowd, “Let his blood be on us and our children.” This is certainly one biblical source and seed-bed of Christian anti-Semitism which has grown and spread like a cancer for nearly two millennia. While the phrase comprises a part of our sacred text, we must not invest them with divine approval or confuse it with God’s will. Modern and humane good sense must prevail here. Let us rightly understand that during the era of Matthew’s composition (ca 75 to 90 AD), persecuted Judaism and nascent Christianity were in the process of a rather hostile separation from each other, in no small way because of the religious and political difficulties in Palestine during and after the Jewish Wars of 66 to 70 AD. During that revolutionary period, some Jewish Christians distanced themselves from the customary Jewish way of life and faith as a survival strategy during the Roman domination. After the Temple’s destruction (70 AD), resentment towards followers of the Risen Jesus grew among the Jewish leadership. Likewise, Christianity had become increasingly Gentile and Christian rejection of Jewish culture and religious practice gradually increased. Ethic groups tend to dislike other ethnic groups at times of stress and strife, and this particular era was rife with Jewish-Gentile animosity, some of which found its way into this New Testament text. Anti-Semitism is hateful and is completely contrary to the Gospel of the Risen Jesus Christ and to today’s community we call Church.

In any event, these episodes of Judas Iscariot and Pontius Pilate surround and frame Peter’s three-fold denial of Jesus. They speak effectively to us today about the serious need for on-going repentence and the limitlessness of God’s justifying mercy for us sinners, no matter how accomplished we might be. Repentance and forgiveness are core messages of Jesus’ Paschal Mystery!

An effectively proclaimed Passion Narrative might well leave the assembly in a mood of profound silence for a moment or two. It is respectful of the narrative and respectful to the audience to allow just such a quiet time. Unavoidable distractions might insert themselves, but a deliberate, longer-than-usual pause after the proclamation of the Gospel can be constructive and appreciated.

With profound trust in the power of Christ’s forgiveness, may the heralds be eloquent, the homilist be inspired, and the assembly be rapt and attentive!