Fr Daniele's Daily Homily: 5th April

Sunday 5th April, 2020
PALM SUNDAY

The account of the Passion, even though we heard it many times, is always new and relevant to our situation today. I think it's not difficult to relate this passage to the global situation we are living. The whole story of the Passion presents us with the mystery of evil. In this case Jesus suffers because of the violence and cruelty of others. In this sense, we can find an explanation, even though we can't understand until the end why human beings can become so evil. 

Right now, we are facing a natural disaster, of which it's difficult to find an explanation. The only certain thing we know is that Jesus also passed through the experience of suffering in a very real way, and so he can teach us how to live in these circumstances. We heard how Jesus had a real inner struggle to accept his Passion. He had the same feelings as us of fear and sadness. His personal and sincere prayer with the Father was what transformed him and gave him the strength to face the cross. 

This means that we don't need to get surprised in front of the different feelings we can experience in this moment, but we have to pray more intensely so that the Lord may give us a new light in our trials and the strength to face them. During his Passion, Jesus hardly says any words. His silence teaches us patience, humility and respect for God's plan, which is taking place despite the tragedy of life. But the most touching thing we can find in Jesus during his Passion, is his unbreakable love. In the middle of such a dark moment, when we see nothing but betrayal, hatred and cruelty, Jesus shines with his endless love. It is his love that wins over all evil. 

We can feel like lost in a long Holy Week of Passion without the perspective of Easter. But we can be sure of the victory if we draw from the source of Jesus' love. Only by contemplating him in our prayer, we will be able to love in any circumstance, without interruption and without discouragement in front of any trial. During the Last Supper, in the Gospel of John 15:12-13, Jesus said to his disciples: "love one another, as I have loved you. No one can have greater love than to lay down his life for his friends." In this moment of our life and history Jesus asks us for this, because he gave us the example first. If we love like him, we will already experience the invincible strength of the resurrection.


Readings

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