Passion Sunday, popularly known as Palm Sunday, signals the start of our colorful Filipino Holy Week traditions. In our liturgy we have our first reading of the entire account of the passion and death of Jesus Christ (Luke 22:14-23:56).
Innocent victim
For his community of faith, Saint Luke portrays Jesus as the innocent martyr, His suffering and death an integral part of the divine plan of salvation. Thrice Pilate pronounced the innocence of Jesus (23:4.14-16.22). Similarly in his unique narration of a trial of Jesus before Herod Antipas, tetrarch of Galilee, the “fox” (13:32) too declared Jesus innocent (23:6). One of the criminals crucified with Jesus affirmed, “we have been condemned justly, but this man has done nothing criminal” (23:41). The centurion near the cross who witnessed what had taken place glorified God and gave his verdict, “This man was innocent beyond doubt” (23:47).
Maliciously accused in a sham trial, wrongly judged and unjustly executed, Jesus literally rose above the whole travesty and triumphed over sin. He showed the sovereign power of love from the throne of the cross. He pardoned His executioners, “Father, forgive them, they know not what they do” (23:34). With alacrity and certainty, Jesus plucked the criminal beside Him from the abyss, “Amen, I say to you, today you will be with me in paradise” (23:43). Amidst the bloody chaos on Calvary, Jesus was reconciling sinful humankind with God and restoring it back to the garden of covenant harmony.
Suffering Savior
The passion narratives in the liturgy early on expressed for the believers the remembrance and at the same time the proclamation of the suffering and death of Jesus until he comes again in glory. Contrary to the gentiles and the Jews who saw in the suffering of Jesus a scandal and a stumbling block (1 Corinthians 1:17-2:16), the faithful saw a saving death. The story of Jesus’ graphic passion presents Him as the cornerstone at first rejected by the builders but only to be the cornerstone of the everlasting kingdom of God. With special emphasis, Luke presents Jesus as the suffering servant of Yahweh who would expiate for the sins of the many. “But he was pierced for our offences, crushed for our sins, upon him was the chastisement that makes us whole, by his stripes we were healed…. Therefore I will give him his portion among the great” (Isaiah 53:5.12). The innocent victim, who died unjustly and shamefully, suffered for others and was vindicated by God.
Luke pointedly pictures Simon of Cyrene carrying the cross behind Jesus (23:26). Simon exemplifies the teaching of Jesus about discipleship. “Whoever does not carry his own cross and come after me cannot be my disciple” (14:27). Earlier on the evangelist projected the imperative from Jesus with unmistakable clarity, “If anyone wishes to come after me, he must deny himself and take up his cross daily and follow me” (9:23). The following of Jesus and the imitation of Christ is the fundamental way to eternal life.
Alálaong bagá, Saint Luke’s account of the passion and death of Jesus is not merely to be an informative reading for the Christians but an invitation to all to get into it and participate in the process of salvation. We are expected to be followers and disciples of Jesus, carrying our cross in his footsteps. Sufferings and pains and death are not exclusively punishments for sin but have been transformed by Jesus Christ in His own passion and death as expressions of love expiating for sin. In God’s plan, the way to salvation is through the mystery of innocent suffering, forgiveness, patient love, self-oblation even unto death. Neither is there another way for the redemption of the Filipino people. No way, unless we are willing to be innocent and forgiving, loving and sacrificing. No, not the way of violence, bullying and sowing fear, nor the way of self-flagellants in their distorted identification with Jesus. Needed is the daily, long-haul commitment to be truly for others in victory over the various forms of selfishness.
Join me in meditating on the Word of God every Sunday, from 5 to 6 a.m. on DWIZ 882, or by audio streaming on www.dwiz882.com.