Two Palm Sunday Points to Consider

Rev. Marcel Divine Emeka Okwara 

Homily for Palm Sunday

St. Mary of the Assumption Church, Whittier, California 

Sunday, April 14, 2019

Beloved in Christ, as we begin the Holy Week, I want us to remember that only you and I can make this week holy. If we relate with it or treat it as any other week, without actually making some time for reflection, prayer and also to participate in the Holy Week liturgies, it will be holy in name only. 

On this day, the Church recommends a brief homily. But there are two important points I want to highlight. First, in the Gospel that we read outside before the procession (Luke 19:28-40), Jesus sent two of his disciples into the village to bring him an expensive brand new colt, a colt that no one had ever used. He also told them that if anyone should ask you why you are taking the colt, tell them that “The Master has need of it.” You know, it would have been a different story if the owners of the colt had refused to give it up. The Gospel did not tell us the name or names of the owners of the colt. But does it matter? What matters is that they were kind enough to let Jesus use their colt. By so doing, they contributed something signifiant, something that enabled Jesus to ride into Jerusalem to complete and accomplish God’s assignment for him. The accomplishment of that task is what has brought us victory in Christ, friendship with God, grace in the Spirit, and salvation through faith and accompanying good deeds. So, no matter how unknown or unrecognized you may be, you can still play a significant role in the unfolding of God’s plan. Check this out! Jesus needs something from you, and from me just as he needed the colt. He needs something from each of us for the sake of furthering God’s Kingdom. Each of us has something in our lives that if given back to God could, like the colt, move Jesus and his Gospel further down the road. Do as the owners of the colt did. Don’t hold back. Don’t count yourself out. Sign yourself in.

The second point is this, Jesus who triumphantly entered the holy city a few days before his passion, desires also to enter triumphantly into the city of our lives. As he rode into the city people were joyfully spreading their clothes on the road, welcoming him with chants: “Blessed is the King who comes in the name of the Lord.” There was no resistance of him. No hesitation at all. Now, as Jesus attempts to enter into our lives, into every aspect of our private and public lives, are we willing to let him move freely without any hinderance or hesitation? Are we willing to welcome him with joy and chants? Sisters and brothers, the Jerusalem that Jesus profoundly desires to enter today is your heart, my heart, all of our hearts. He wants to enter into our lives and be one with us.