Holy Week is also about the Church

Cycle C – Palm Sunday

FIRST READING: Isaiah 50: 4-7. 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 the smiters, 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.

SECOND READING: Philippians 2:6-11. 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.

GOSPEL: Luke 22:14-23:56. The lengthy narrative of Jesus’ passion and death is hereby omitted.

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Unfortunately, in our part of the world the Holy Week is mostly celebrated in a spiritualistic, nostalgic or sentimental manner. The celebrations are colourful, indeed, but the necessary link between the holy mysteries and concrete life is direly missing. This largely reflects the ecclesiological, theological and pastoral attitude throughout the whole year round.

Isaiah proclaims the Messiah as a saviour of the “weary”. His calling and his mission is defined wholly in relation to the people who are worn out not only spiritually but also psychologically and materially. This definition is also pertinent to the Church. Expressing the incarnation of the Messiah within its folds, lest it be an instrument of alienation, the Church takes upon herself the ills and burdens of the shattered and the disillusioned. Holy Week becomes thus a special moment in which to celebrate the people’s passion and resurrection.

Quoting an earlier liturgical hymn, Paul celebrates Jesus’ emptying, his humbleness, his obedience to God, and his sacrifice for a just cause. Paul does this to highlight the salvivic path taken by the Church. Always and everywhere, this is what the Church does: it empties itsfelf, it humbles itself, it submits itself, it sacrifices itself for the love of God and humankind.