“Hosanna to the Son of David;
blessed is the he who comes in the name of the Lord;
hosanna in the highest.”
“Then what shall I do with Jesus called Christ?”
They all said,
“Let him be crucified!”
But he said,
“Why? What evil has he done?”
They only shouted the louder,
“Let him be crucified!”
Sisters and Brothers, as we mark and celebrate the beginning of the holiest week in the Christian calendar, it will be celebrated like none other in our lifetime. The pandemic that is gripping our world and nation forces us to celebrate this week in isolation and apart from one another. Through the miracle of modern technology and social media, we do indeed have the opportunity to celebrate the liturgies of this week via live-stream. However, this is a far cry from what makes for liturgy in the most authentic manner – the gathering together of the Body of Christ in praise and thanksgiving.
Yet, we must never forget that at the heart and center of all our liturgical experiences lies the precious gift of remembering. On the eve of his passion and death, the Lord spoke those memorable words: Do this in memory of me. Hence, all liturgy is fundamentally the act of entering into the great remembrance of the Lord’s saving actions that transcend time and place.
And so, today, we remember his triumphal entry into the holy city of Jerusalem, greeted by the exaltation of the people, hailing the Son of David with Hosannas. How fickle human nature can be, for in less than a week, those Hosannas will turn to shouts of “Let him be crucified!” Humanity’s unfaithfulness to the one who loved us into existence is sadly witnessed in repeated acts of darkness and sin down through the centuries. Yet, in the face of our unfaithfulness, God’s faithfulness is everlasting.
This week, we remember that faithfulness in bread broken and cup shared on Holy Thursday that commemorates the Lord’s greatest gift to us in the Eucharist.
On Good Friday, we remember that faithfulness unto death as Jesus speaks forgiveness to his persecutors and promises paradise to the thief who dies at his side.
On Holy Saturday, we remember that faithfulness in the silence of the tomb as we await in hopeful expectation his great promise.
On Easter, we remember that promise that death gives way to eternal life in Resurrection.
Though physically separated, we are nevertheless united in remembering God’s great acts of love this week. For that, we give God thanks.