The mystery and power of the Cross
Palm Sunday of the Lord’s Passion - Year C
Isaiah 50:4-7; Psalm 22; Philippians 2:6-11; Luke 22:14-23:56
The liturgy of the Word focuses our attention on the Passion of our Lord. The first reading taken from the third song of the Servant prophesies the suffering of the Messiah. The second reading portrays Jesus as the new Adam, who by His obedience won for us what the first Adam lost by his disobedience. Finally, we hear the story of Jesus’ Passion based on Luke’s account.
The Passion of our Lord is the climax of all the four Gospels. In the crucifixion of the Son of God, God’s plan of salvation is finally accomplished. And yet, the account of Jesus’ death always pierces our hearts. On a human level, Jesus is a victim of an unjust trial, but as we search for the meaning of this injustice, we are reminded about the words spoken centuries before Christ: “You intended to harm me, but God intended it for good to accomplish what is now being done, the saving of many lives“ (Gen. 50:20).
Luke’s account of Jesus’ Passion contains many details that cannot be found in other Gospels. For example, two cups of wine during the Passover meal, Jesus’ praising His disciples and praying for Peter, and Judas’ attempt to betray Jesus with a kiss. Luke also moves the disciples’ quarrel about who is greater to the Last Supper (compare with Mark 9:33-34; 10:42-45) and includes the story of Jesus’ trial before Herod (Luke 23:6-12). Yet, what stands out in Luke’s account is the scene of crucifixion itself.
Unlike in Matthew and Mark, Jesus does not cry: “Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachthani” (Matt. 27:46; Mark 15:34; Ps. 22:1). Instead, we have a beautiful prayer of surrender: “Father, into Your hands I commit my spirit” (Luke 23:46). Only Luke informs us that just before His death, Jesus prayed for His persecutors: “Father, forgive them; for they do not know what they are doing” (Luke 23:34, see Luke 6:28). Finally, also only in Luke, we hear that heart-warming conversation between Christ and one of those crucified with Him. The Taize community turned it into a beautiful prayer song, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom” (Luke 23:42), and we all know Jesus’ answer to that plea.
The second reading explains to us the mystery of the Cross. Jesus’ Passion is seen as “obedience” to God’s will (see Is. 53:10) that brings with itself the reward: exaltation and a name like no other name (Phil. 2:10-11). From then on, the history of the world has changed. First of all, the Cross has become the gateway to the fulness of life. Then, a great multitude that cannot be numbered has begun to kneel at the name of Jesus and publicly confess that He is Lord. Moreover, since that moment the martyrs do not demand vengeance anymore (see Is. 13:19 Jer. 50:29), but pray for their persecutors: “Lord, do not hold this sin against them” (Acts 7:60).
Luke ends his account of Jesus’ passion by telling us about the centurion who glorified God by saying that Jesus was a righteous man and about the crowd that was deeply moved by the manner of Jesus’ death (Luke 23:47-48). The power of the cross begins to penetrate the human heart fulfilling Jesus’ own words: “And I, when I am lifted up from the earth, will draw all people to myself" (John 12:32). Does the crucified Christ draw you to Himself?