PASSION SUNDAY (Palm Sunday) commemorates Jesus Christ’s triumphant entry into Jerusalem to accomplish the Paschal Mystery and marks the beginning of Holy Week.
The gospel readings focus on the story the Passion with the account in the Gospel of Mark being a portrayal of melancholy and loneliness: Jesus is arrested, his disciples desert him and flee, Peter denies him three times and Jesus has to carry the cross and endure the suffering alone.
Suffering more profoundly felt these days. The number of deaths due to the Covid-19 pandemic, has topped over 2.6 million. Behind death is a story of a sad farewell between the deceased and their families and friends.
The cumulative number of cases has reached over 122 million. Some were bedridden with respiratory failure. Many had to endure the pain of isolation. While doing their utmost to care for patients, healthcare workers also have to protect themselves from infection to keep healthcare systems running. The pandemic has hit the economy, seriously impacting the livelihood of low-income earners. The list is by no means exhaustive because the pandemic gravely affects many people.
In this Year of St Joseph what guidance and insight can we discern?
St Joseph also encountered many difficulties. However, with courage and obedience to God, he overcame various obstacles.
When Joseph and Mary arrived at Bethlehem to register for a census ordered by the Roman emperor, Mary was in labour. With no lodging available at the local inns for Mary to give birth, Joseph “took a stable and, as best he could, turned it into a welcoming home of the Son of God come into the world” (Luke 2:6-7). The gospel shows that amid the difficulties, God always finds a way to carry out his plan of salvation: Joseph was able to turn a problem into a possibility by trusting always in divine providence.
When we make use of the same creative courage as Joseph, God always finds a way to save us. ( “A creatively courageous father,” Patris Corde, by Pope Francis)
After Jesus was born, the angel told Joseph in a dream that he had to flee to keep King Herod from killing the Holy Child. “Get up” (Matthew 2:13)—It was with this prompting that Joseph took the Holy Family away from danger to Egypt. Later, he received the angel’s notice to return to Israel and then enroute changed the destination to Galilee.
“In every situation, Joseph declared his own ‘fiat’, like those of Mary at the Annunciation and Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane”. (“An obedient father,” Patris Corde, by Pope Francis)
While suffering is an external reality, how Christians obey God’s will and live out the gospel with dauntless courage is the key.
The Church’s understands that Christ’s Passion is united with the Resurrection.
In the face of suffering, our faith reminds us that Christ’s Resurrection is ahead. Thus, suffering is actually the sign of a new heaven and a new earth. SE
