Palm Sunday of the Passion of the Lord. Year A - Sunday, April 2, 2023 (EPISODE: 413)

Palm Sunday of the Passion of the Lord. Year A - Sunday, April 2, 2023
(EPISODE: 413)

Readings for Sunday, 2 April 2023
FIRST READING: Isa 50:4-7
Ps 22:8-9, 17-18, 19-20, 23-24. "My God, my God, why have you abandoned me?"
SECOND READING: Phil 2:6-11
GOSPEL ACCLAMATION (Phil 2:8-9). Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ, king of endless Glory. Christ became obedient for us, even to death. Dying on the cross. Therefore God raised him on high, and gave him a name above all other names.
GOSPEL: Matt 26:14 – 27:66  or 27:11-54

Image Credit- Shutterstock Licensed. Stock Photo ID: 1369111313 - Palm leaf on red background.Palm sunday and easter day concept. Photo Contributor: MIA Studio
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Please listen to the audio recordings of the Mass – (Readings, prayers, and homily), for Palm Sunday of the Passion of the Lord. Year A - Sunday, April 2, 2023, by clicking this link here: https://soundcloud.com/user-633212303/faith-hope-and-love-ep-413-palm-sunday-of-the-passion-of-the-lord-a/s-krgOEY52BiW  
(EPISODE: 413)
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It is timely on this Passion Sunday, to recall Pope Francis' words from a previous Palm Sunday Mass. The pope invited us all to contemplate the face of Jesus "not only in paintings, or photographs, or even in video depictions" but "in the faces of many of our brothers and sisters . . . who are suffering." "Jesus is in them, in each of them, and with a disfigured face, with a broken voice, He asks to be looked at, to be recognized, to be loved," 

"We have no other Lord but him: Jesus, the humble King of justice, mercy and peace", said the Pope. 

Our gentle Pope said that "Passion/Palm Sunday,":- "can be said to be bittersweet. It is joyful and sorrowful at the same time. We celebrate the Lord's entrance into Jerusalem to the cries of his disciples who acclaim him as King. It recounts the enthusiasm of the disciples who acclaim the Master with cries of joy, and we can picture in our minds the excitement of the children and young people of the city who joined in the excitement.
 
Yet, on this exact same day, we also solemnly proclaim the Gospel account of his Passion and death. Jesus, who accepts the hosannas of the crowd, knows full well that these cries of welcome will soon be followed by cries of: "Crucify him!"
 
Even as Our Lord fulfils the Scriptures by entering into the holy city in this way, he is in no way some kind of misguided peddler of illusions, no new-age prophet, no imposter. Rather, he is the King and Messiah who comes in the humble role of a servant - who obeys his Father in Heaven utterly and goes willingly to his passion. -, He suffers all the pain of humanity. 

In this sad contrast (from joy and acclamation – to sorrow, suffering and condemnation), our hearts experience in some small way, what Jesus himself must have felt in his own heart that day, as he rejoiced with his friends and also wept over Jerusalem. 

So as we joyfully acclaim our King, let us also think of the sufferings that he will have to endure in this coming (Holy) week. Let us think of the slanders and insults, the snares and betrayals, the abandonment to an unjust judgment, the blows, the lashes and the crown of thorns… And lastly, the way of the cross leading to the crucifixion. 

He had spoken clearly of this to his disciples: "If any want to become my followers, let them deny themselves and take up their cross and follow me" (Mt 16:24). Jesus never promised honour and success. (pk - well, not in an earthly sense, that is!). This weekend's gospel and the readings over Holy Week make this abundantly clear.
 
He had always warned his friends that this was to be his path and that the final victory would be achieved through passion and the cross. All this holds true for us too. Let us ask for the grace to follow Jesus faithfully, not in words but in deeds. Let us also ask for the patience to carry our own cross, not to refuse it or set it aside, but rather, in looking to him, to take it up and to carry it daily. 

Christ is present in our many brothers and sisters who today endure sufferings like his own: they suffer from slave labour, from family tragedies, natural disasters, from diseases… They suffer from wars and terrorism, and from interests that are armed and ready to strike. Women and men who are cheated, violated in their dignity, discarded…(and we can add in 2020 0 present in all suffering in any way from the many and varied effects of this terrible pandemic)…… Jesus is in them, in each of them, and, with marred features and broken voice, he asks to be looked in the eye, to be acknowledged, to be loved. (Our Lord always stood by those who were most disadvantaged, most isolated – he stood with them and promised to be with them in the joys and sorrows of life.. and he made a practical difference in people's lives.. he calls us to ensure we always strive to do the same – to be faithful, lovingly of service, and filled with practical, compassionate love).

The Jesus who was mistreated,  and assaulted and cruelly put to death as if he was some kind of terrible criminal,  is not some other Jesus from the one who was triumphantly welcomed into Jerusalem as king and messiah. It is indeed the same Jesus who entered Jerusalem amid the waving of palm branches. It is the same Jesus who was nailed to the cross and died between two criminals. (this is one and the same person. This is the fullness of the revelation of God with us). He was no less the King of the universe and God the son in both of these contrasting scenarios. We have no other Lord but him: Jesus, the humble King of suffering, self-emptying love, obedience to the Father's will, The just and merciful,  loving King of Peace.
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References:

Pope Francis. Homily. Palm Sunday, 2017.  https://zenit.org/articles/palm-sunday-we-have-no-other-lord-but-him-full-text/  © Libreria editrice vaticana 2017.

Fr Paul W. Kelly
 
Image Credit- Shutterstock Licensed. Stock Photo ID: 1369111313 - Palm leaf on red background.Palm sunday and easter day concept. Photo Contributor: MIA Studio

Palm Sunday of the Passion of the Lord. Year A  (Sunday, April 2, 2023)  (EPISODE: 413)
The Lord be with you.
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{{May Our Lord's gift of dignity and community enliven you.}} welcome everyone, we gather -  Listening to God's Word. On this Palm Sunday of the Passion of the Lord. Year A

As we begin the Holy Eucharist, let us acknowledge our sinfulness, so as to worthily celebrate the sacred mysteries.
Lord Jesus, you were lifted up to draw all people to yourself: Lord, have mercy//You shouldered the cross, to bear our suffering and sinfulness: Christ, have mercy// You open for your people the way from death into life: Lord, have mercy//
May almighty God have mercy on us, forgive us our sins, and bring us to everlasting life.  Amen.
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Memorial Acclamation
1. We proclaim your Death, O Lord, and profess your Resurrection until you come again.
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Ps 22:8-9, 17-18, 19-20, 23-24. "My God, my God, why have you abandoned me?"

GOSPEL ACCLAMATION (Phil 2:8-9). Praise to you, Lord Jesus Christ, king of endless Glory. Christ became obedient for us, even to death. Dying on the cross. Therefore God raised him on high, and gave him a name above all other names.
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PREFACE: Passion of the Lord
Euch II
Communion side.  pwk: 
(theme variation: 3 )

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{Cheers and thanks everyone for this time of prayer and reflection - I hope you have a blessed week.}

Go in peace.(glorifying the Lord by your life)

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Archive of homilies and reflections:  http://homilycatholic.blogspot.com.au
To contact Fr. Paul, please email:  paulwkelly68@gmail.com

To listen to my weekly homily audio podcast, please click this link here:  https://soundcloud.com/user-633212303/tracks

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Further information relating to the audio productions linked to this Blog:

"Faith, Hope and Love - Christian worship and reflection" - Led by Rev Paul Kelly

Prayers and chants — Roman Missal, 3rd edition, © 2010, The International Commission on English in the liturgy. (ICEL)

Scriptures - New Revised Standard Version: © 1989, and 2009 by the NCC-USA. (National Council of Churches of Christ - USA)

"The Psalms" ©1963, 2009, The Grail - Collins publishers.

Prayers of the Faithful - " Together we pray" by Robert Borg'. E.J. Dwyer, Publishers, (1993). (Sydney Australia).

"Quiet Time."  Instrumental Reflection music. Written by Paul W Kelly. 1988, 2007. & This arrangement: Stefan Kelk, 2020.

Lenten Hymn: "Have Mercy"  Inspired by Psalm 50(51). Music by Paul W. Kelly. Arranged and sung, with additional lyrics by Stefan Kelk. 2020.

Sound Engineering and editing -  P.W. Kelly.
Microphones: - Shure Motiv MV5 Digital Condenser.

Editing equipment:    NCH software - MixPad Multitrack Studio Recording Software

NCH – WavePad Audio Editing Software. Masters Edition v 12.44

Sound Processing:  iZotope RX 6 Audio Editor

[ Production -  KER -  2023]

May God bless and keep you.
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