Sunday Sermon: Liberation Through the Passion of Christ

Today is a special day! We are celebrating the passion of our Lord and Saviour Jesus Christ. We are celebrating His Triumphant Entry into Jerusalem. Today marks the beginning of the Holy Week, the last week before Easter Celebration. Catholics and most orthodox Churches will be on procession today with palm leaves in their hands to mark the Palm Sunday.

Today is a day of liberation. According to the gospel of Mark 11:1-10 “When they drew near to Jerusalem, at the Mount of Olives, Jesus sent two of his disciples, and said to them, “Go into the village opposite you, and immediately as you enter it you will find a colt tied, on which no one has ever sat; untie it and bring it. If anyone says to you, ‘Why are you doing this?’ say, ‘The Lord has need of it and will send it back here immediately.’”

This colt represents most of us who are in captivity. It represents those who are in prison. It also represents those who have been caged for a long time. It also represents the slaves who are in need of freedom. If you are one of them Jesus has come to set you free. He has given an order: “Untie it and bring it!”  Untie him and bring him! Untie her and bring her to me! With this order from above, you are hereby declared free in the name of God the Father, God the Son and God the Holy Spirit!

The disciple went and found a colt tied at the door out in the open street; and they untied it. And those who stood there said to them, “What are you doing untying the colt?” And they told them what Jesus had said; and they let them go.” Imagine, the disciples were allowed to untie the colt because the name of Jesus was mentioned. No wonder, St. Paul wrote in Philippians 2:9-10 that at the name of Jesus every kneel must bow!

When the disciples brought the colt to Jesus, they threw their garments on it; and He sat upon it. And many spread their garments on the road, and others spread palm branches. And those who went before and those who followed cried out, “Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! Blessed is the kingdom of our father David that is coming! Hosanna in the highest!”Blessed indeed is our Lord Jesus, the King of glory!

This is amazing! It was indeed a triumphant entry! The entry of our Lord Jesus Christ not just into Jerusalem but also into your family! It is Jesus’ a triumphant entry into your office and business centre; a triumphant entry into your nation! It is indeed Jesus’ triumphant entry into our various Churches and place of worship! I hope you are ready to receive Him?

In his Palm Sunday sermon the Holy Father, Pope Francis, declares, “In these holy days, in our homes, let us stand before the Crucified One — look at the crucifix, the fullest measure of God’s love for us, and before the God who serves us to the point of giving his life, and let us ask for the grace to live in order to serve… May we reach out to those who are suffering and those most in need. May we not be concerned about what we lack, but what good we can do for others.” Sharing is the essence of the Holy Week. As you share your bread with the hungry, it shall be well with you in Jesus name!

FIRST READING                                   Isaiah 50:4-7

“I hid not my face from shame, and I know I shall not be put to shame. ” Third song of the Servant of the Lord

A reading from the Book of Isaiah

The Lord God has given me the tongue of those who are taught, that I may know how to sustain with a word him that is weary.

Morning by morning he wakens, he wakens my ear to hear as those who are taught. The Lord God has opened my ear, and I was not rebellious, I turned not backward. I gave my back to those who struck me, and my cheeks to those who pulled out the beard; I hid not my face from shame and spitting. For the Lord God helps me; therefore I have not been confounded; therefore I have set my face like a flint, and I know that I shall not be put to shame.

The word of the Lord.

RESPONSORIAL PSALM Psalm 22:8-9.17-18a. 19-20.23-24 (R. 2a)

1. My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?

All who see me deride me;

they curl their lips, they toss their heads:

“He trusted in the Lord, let him save him;

let him release him, for in him he delights.” R.

For dogs have surrounded me;

a band of the wicked besets me.

They tear holes in my hands and my feet;

I can count every one of my bones. R.

They divide my clothing among them,

they cast lots for my robe.

But you, O Lord, do not stay afar off;

my strength, make haste to help me! R.

I will tell of your name to my kin,

and praise you in the midst of the assembly;

“You who fear the Lord, give him praise;

all descendents of Jacob, give him glory;

revere him, all you descendents of Israel.” R.

SECOND READING                    Philippians 2:6-11

“He humbled himself, and God has highly exalted him.”

A reading from the Letter of Saint Paul to the Philippians

Christ Jesus, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped, but emptied himself, taking the form of a servant, being born in the likeness of men.

And being found in human form he humbled himself and became obedient unto death, even death on a cross.

Therefore God has highly exalted him and bestowed on him the name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.