Palm Sunday: He became like us, so we could be like him

 Today, Palm Sunday, we recall our Lord’s passion and death.  It starts out with what seems to be a triumphant entry of our Lord into Jerusalem.   He comes in riding on an ass and a colt, to fulfill prophecy, and is welcomed as royalty, with the people throwing down their cloaks, waiving palms, and crying out, “Hosanna to the Son of David, blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord, hosanna in the highest”. But after all the hype comes the question: Who is this? It’s just Jesus the prophet, from Nazareth of Galilee. And the doubting starts, how could anyone from the backwater town of Galilee be anything more than a man, little, long a king?

It was hard to believe that Jesus could be anything more than a simple humble man, like us, and indeed he was. He was fully human, like each of us, so we could relate to him. He had the same feelings, emotions, and struggles like each of us, even being fearful of death. We know this because he asked his Father in prayer, “If it is possible, let this cup pass by me.” But while Jesus was fully human like us, he was different in one way, in that he was fully God as well. By being fully God, this gave him the power to say yes in obedience to his Father, “Not as I will, but as you will”, by accepting his death on a cross in love for each of us.  For this the Father raised Jesus from death and exalted his name above every other name in heaven, and on earth, and under the earth, because of his great love for us in giving his life for our sins to conquer death, so we could have eternal life. 

Let us take this next week to reflect on the passion and death that our Lord suffered for us.  He

did this to be united with us in our own pain, sorrow, and suffering in this life. He has been there too. Suffering in this world, just doesn’t make sense, unless we look at it through the lens of Jesus on the cross, the ultimate act of Love. If he had not come into the world like each of us, suffered for us, and with us, it would be hard for us to relate with him. But he chose to be like us, so we could become like him and be united with him in glory with the Father, to live with him eternally in peace and love, if we have faith in him. 

I invite you to be with Jesus through this week in the Triduum, by coming to services Holy Thursday, Good Friday, and the Easter Vigil, to join him in his love for us in his sacrifice and triumph over death for our salvation.