Today we celebrate the triumphant entrance of Jesus into Jerusalem. Like the crowds who met Jesus with palm branches in their hands, we hold in our hands palm leaves at a distance, within the safety of our own home because of this pandemic.

 

This idea made me focus on something for a while. It raised a question in my mind.

 

Let me ask this question: Are we truly holding palm branches in our hands at this moment? Are holding it up high to wave at Jesus and sing “Hosanna”? Do we believe that he is the Messiah? These are questions I would like us to reflect for a moment before I continue (or before you continue reading this reflection).

 

Pause for a few minutes. Let the questions ring out in our mind and heart.

 

Many people have been asking me if we are going to distribute the blessed palm leaves this Sunday or if we are going to bless the palm leaves this Sunday.

 

This is my question: Why are you concerned about the palm leaves being blessed? Why do you want your palm leaves to be blessed? Do you see it as an amulet to protect you from evil? Do you think it is something to ward off COVID-19 from your home? Is it something that gives you security at this moment of your life?

If your answer to all these questions are “yes” then we missed the point of the celebration of Palm Sunday or the blessing of the palm leaves. We have seen it in superstitious way. And I am stunned that we are still superstitious. That is the why our Protestant brothers and sisters are correct to accuse us that we are practicing idolatry. Why is our faith based on blessed palm leaves at this moment? The blessed palm leaves cannot save us. Only God can and He will save us. And our faith should be founded on God.

We are blessing the palm branches in this sanctuary. We will not be distributing them, not today or any time soon. They will remain in the church until the time when we can open the Church and we can celebrate together the saving action of God’s love for us. On that day we shall raise our blessed palms in thanksgiving for all that God has done for us.

 

If we do not have our palms blessed, it is not the end of the world. They are sacramentals that helps us to reflect on the mystery of God’s love for us. They are not our focus. It is Jesus. The same is true for the people during the time of Jesus. If their focus are the miracles and signs that Jesus made and not on what He is proclaiming, then they too missed the point. Miracles and signs points to the presence of God and His Kingdom in our midst. If all we seek are miracles, then we will lose faith when God seems to be doing nothing about it. Just as the people who were welcoming Jesus with loud rejoicing will on Good Friday condemn him to death, we will also do the same when do not seem to see any miracle happening.

 

God did not intend that the miracles and signs be his message. His message is written in the very person and life of Jesus who became one with us, who lived among us, who journeyed and continue to journey with us, who empowers us with his presence, who guides us by His words, and above all, who suffered and died for us. This is God’s singular message. He suffered and died for us that we may be saved.

 

He did not promise that everything will be perfect. He did not promise that we will not anymore experience sickness, suffering or even death. Jesus was not even exempt from suffering and death. He suffered in a great way; and more than physical suffering, Jesus suffered emotionally, psychologically, and spiritually. He sweat blood at the garden of Gethsemane. He pleaded with the Father if it is possible to take the cup of suffering away from Him. He felt that loneliness after being abandoned by those whom he had loved and cared for when he went through the trials on the cross. He felt that deep desolation because of which he cried out: “Father, why have you abandoned me?” As a human person, we can identify with his struggles. For we would do the same if we are in his shoes.

 

But through it all despite the call to remove the suffering and the cry of anguish, Jesus submitted himself to the Father’s will: “but not my will but, yours be done;” and have placed himself into the hands of the Father when he said: “Father, into your hands I commend my spirit.” This is Jesus who embraced the will of the Father that we may be redeemed.

 

As we enter the Holy Week, are we standing beside Jesus? Are we on His side?

 

Those in the front line are standing beside Jesus. They are risking their lives to help others in need.

They are standing beside Jesus in the person of the sick and the dying. They are standing beside Jesus as they comfort and care for them. They are standing beside Jesus as they are the only ones who can be there at the side of the dying. They are standing beside Jesus knowing that they cannot go home for fear of carrying the virus to their family members. They are standing beside Jesus even though they cannot embrace or even be close to their children. They are standing beside Jesus even when the needed materials for personal protection are lacking.

 

They are standing beside Jesus to keep groceries open in order to provide us with the supplies we needed. They are standing beside Jesus when people can be unreasonable and edgy. They are standing beside Jesus knowing that the next person they may encounter may be carrying the virus and may infect them.

They are standing beside Jesus as employers look beyond profitability in order to provide for their employees. They are standing beside Jesus when they put the needs of others above their own. They are standing beside Jesus even when they do not know when this will end or what will be tomorrow.

They are standing beside Jesus as they volunteer their time, talent and treasure to help another. They are standing beside Jesus when they think of ways to help. They are standing beside Jesus when they reach out to others by calling them or keeping in touch through social media. They are standing beside Jesus when they use their talents to inspire and uplift the spirit. They stand beside Jesus by just being present and being more understanding.

 

We are not standing by Jesus when all we are focused on is ourselves and when all we do is complain. We are not standing by Jesus when we add more to the stress of “staying at home” by our insensitivity to others and when we do not care. We are not standing beside Jesus when continue to blame others and not do what we are supposed to do. We are not standing beside Jesus when hoard and never consider that the next one might need it more than you. We are not standing beside Jesus when all we want is for God to solve the problem without realizing that we are God’s solution to the problem.

 

Allow me to cite this story that has been repeated more than once.

 

One dark night, a man was walking home. He did not notice that he was close to the ravine. He fell into the ravine but was able to hold tightly on outcropping root of a tree. Not knowing how high he was from the bottom, he cried out for help. He cried out to God to help him.

 

God responded: “Let go of the root that you are holding on.”

 

The man thought for a moment. Then he cried out: “Is there anybody else who can help me?”

 

Sometimes we are like that man. We believe in God; but we wanted God to respond to us according to what we want. Do we have the faith even though we may still go through this for a longer period? Will we continue to demand for an immediate miracle? Will we stand by Jesus or will we join crowd in the periphery doubting him, jeering at him, and demanding more from him?

 

This Holy Week, that we are commencing, is a call to grow deeper in our faith in Jesus and understand better what that faith is asking us to do. It is a moment to reflect deeply and realize in a profound way the lessons that this experience is leading us. It is a call to let go of the attitude that makes stand apart from Jesus that we may come closer to Him; and coming closer to Him, may we come closer to one another.

 

Let us accompany Jesus and learn from Him. May this help bring about a radical conversion of our life and attitude.

 

May our families grow stronger amid this crisis. May our love for one another become genuine as we put the good of others above our own. May our faith increase and our hope shine forth. And if we are ready, let us raise our palm branches and profess our faith in Jesus.

 

Fr. Pius Pareja, MMHC