Today, we celebrate the Passion Sunday which is the 5th Sunday of Lent. The Passion Sunday and the Palm Sunday are two separate celebrations. According to the liturgy of the Extraordinary Form, today’s Passion Sunday reminds the faithful about the increasing revelation of the Divinity of Christ according to the gospel of St. John 8:46-59 and His journey towards Jerusalem where Jesus started His passion. Today is also the beginning of the two-week great solemnity as we continue to prepare for the Holy Week.
The epistle today from the Book of Hebrews cited Jesus as a superior sanctuary as revealed by the New Covenant. The main thrust of these verses is the eternal redemption secured by Jesus, our Lord. There are things we must be aware of, that Christ offered Himself while the animal-sacrifice was offered by the people. Jesus Christ is without blemish inwardly, as well as externally, while animal offerings were believed to be without blemish only in appearance. Jesus offered Himself through His eternal Spirit, but animals could not do this as a perfect sacrifice. Jesus’ ultimate offering of Himself through His own blood was for us gaining eternal redemption and salvation. This is the Goodnews, the blessings of Christ who won by His sacrificial death. This is what it meant by “Christ being come, a High Priest of the good things to come, by a greater and more perfect tabernacle…” Jesus supplied the action which lay behind the words written in this epistle, which in our consciences ought to be perfectly free from any need to engage in such things, retaining our confidence in the perfect efficacy of the Cross and holding fast in our commitment to serve the living God through others within the context of our faith.
Today’s gospel reminds us of the power of God to save everyone, especially those who believe and keep His holy Will. When it comes to our living out the gospel, this is exactly what we are called to do. You are called to give a reason for the hope that is in you, but you are also called in various situations to demonstrate humility; you are called to be gentle and respectful.
The people say to Jesus, “Are we not right in saying that you have a demon?” Jesus responded saying, “I do not have a demon.” He is not angry with them, He just gives them an honest answer; thus we believe in Jesus who offers Himself on the cross for our salvation. When we encounter people telling us about our doing the sign of the cross, which for them is superstitious, a folly and stupidity, if they think that way that, “you are stupid,” it means that they have understood you. I believe that St. Paul told the Corinthian church,1Cor 2:5, 3:19, which had embraced worldly wisdom, that, “We are fools for Christ’s sake, but you are wise in Christ!” (1 Cor 4:10). Our main goal is to live and proclaim the gospel to give glory to God and to His Son, our Lord Jesus Christ, and if the world thinks us foolish for this, so be it.
Some people won’t understand the gospel, and some people will understand and will love it. Yet some people will understand the gospel and will hate it. Our Catholic belief will always be in question to the world, especially to those who don’t accept what is Good. You are called to defend the reason for the hope that is in you, and that’s all that you can do. There is no easy way to the growth of the Church because we are all traversing to the road less traveled.
After this mass, we will have our last scrutiny for our Elects, who are preparing for their Sacrament of Initiation. We have three candidates from Holy Spirit Mission this year. If we don’t make disciples like this, then our community stops growing. Let our witnessing and our love for God and others be the source of building God’s people.
We heard from the gospel today that people “took up stones to throw at Him; but Jesus hid Himself and went out of the temple, going through the midst of them, and so passed by” (v. 59). People refused to accept Jesus and had shown misunderstanding. As a result, they killed Jesus, not by stoning but by crucifying Him according to the Scripture.
So, we offer this prayer: Lord God, our heavenly Father, enlighten our darkness with the light of your Holy Spirit as we come into the Passion Sunday. Inspire me always that I may preach well, so that we all may hear well to transform our hearts, minds, and whole being. Let’s be as bold in our proclamation of our Lord as He was in proclaiming Himself, trusting the results to the power of the Holy Spirit. Amen.
God bless you.
Fr. Arlon, osa