23 March 2024 – Palm Sunday of the Passion of the Lord (Year B) (Sunset Mass)

by Fr Fabian Dicom

Quite some time ago, quite a while ago, I watched three movies on Netflix, based on true stories. Now all three movies, in all the three movies, the hero or the main character died tragically.

In the first movie, Sergio, name of a UN Diplomat, passionate about negotiating peace in war-torned zones around the world, and he was killed by a bombing by terrorists who did not want peace. All these are true stories.

The second, The Resistance Banker. Now this is based on the life of a banker who came out with an ingenious plan to finance the Dutch Resistance during the World War Two but he was betrayed, caught and then shot and killed by the Nazis.

The third, Into the Wild. Now ‘Into the Wild’ depicts a young man in his quest to live a life without any material possession. He emptied himself and goes to live in the wild but tragically he eats a poisonous plant which cost him to starve to death all alone.

We have heard of enough deaths today but the three movies end up this way. You know what? I really can’t stand this kind of endings. It left me quite frustrated. Every time I watch, I want the hero to live or win. Even though sometimes I am here, I am preaching about non-violence, there I say ‘Get him.’

Anyway, so I get frustrated. I just want the hero to live on and on. And when they die off, just like that, all the work stops. They may have left a legacy but most of the time they did not just continue. These things don’t continue and eventually they are forgotten.

One, Sergio wanted to bring peace. The Banker wanted to liberate the people from oppression. And the third did not want to depend on worldly possessions and standards. Does that sound familiar? We all know one hero who had all these three qualities and much, much, much more. He is the hero in our liturgy today.

That is our hero.

When I follow the events of Palm Sunday in our Readings today, the main character comes into Jerusalem as the hero and ends up being killed. I don’t know how I would have felt if I was there more than 2000 years ago, but right now in 2024, standing here in front of you, I don’t feel frustrated at all that the hero is dead. I don’t feel hopeless. I don’t feel upset because I know deep down inside me that it is NOT the same as what happened to the heroes I mentioned earlier.

I believe that Jesus’ death is not the end but a new beginning. His death is victory over ALL that is evil. And that death is actually newness and life. It is hard to fathom but that is what it is. His death brings home.

Let me explain.

When we compare the processional Gospel which narrates the entry of Jesus on Palm Sunday, now we compare that Gospel with Mark’s Passion Gospel just now. His arrest, his abuse, the mock trial and carrying of the cross and death. If we compare that, we have got two extreme ends of the spectrum seem to appear. There is rejoicing and praise as he enters and shock and sorrow as he leaves.

But from the divine perspective, they are not different. From the perspective of the Father in heaven, the end of the week is nothing other than the ultimate culmination of the full glory of the Son of God. In reality, the entry portrays the coming of a Messiah who was poor, coming in humility, coming not in glory, he does not come as a temporal ruler with worldly pomp. He comes as a religious figure, a Prince of peace, humble and riding on a mule (Zechariah 9:9).

Now it is only after his death that Jesus is clearly recognised and acknowledged by any human. When the centurion declared: In truth, this man was a Son of God, in the Reading just now. His declaration is to be viewed (now this is very important for us), his declaration is to be viewed in the context of the tearing of the temple veil, tearing of the temple curtain from top to bottom because, just before he declared (we heard in Mark 15:38), and the veil of the temple was torn in two from top to bottom.

The temple. No what does that mean? The temple had lost its significance. It was the end to the cult. It was the end to all religiosity through which God had previously mediated forgiveness of sin and forgiveness. The temple (a few weeks ago I explained the role of the temple and how the temple was abused), a cult, a system of religious veneration and devotion directed towards a particular figure or object. Rituals and laws became more important than the people and their welfare. Serious discrimination of minority in the time of Jesus and the poor. And all that happened through the temple. This offering of sacrifices to placate God brought about so much abuse.

Now, the moment Jesus dies, the temple curtain splits into two which means this: God is no longer shut up in the holy of holies of the temple, inaccessible to all except the High Priest. No more! God is here in the most unholy, unholy place.

Where is it? The place of execution. The most terrible place and there is God.

And what does he do? Reaching out in reconciliation for the whole world.

Try to imagine that. That is the meaning.

And when that happens, as soon as that happens, the gentile centurion standing in for all of you and me, he represents us, is the first to grasp this and make this act of faith.

Now Mark’s theological point is that salvation now is now mediated or interceded uniquely through the shedding of his blood, by the holy faithful Son of God. The temple is gone. The temple is gone, God’s Son is henceforth the place of salvation.

Let me repeat this.

The temple is gone. Now God’s Son is the place of salvation.

Very, very important point.

Over the years, what has happened? This happened more than 2000 years ago. Over the years, we (meaning we the collective, we the church), we have patched up the curtain and made the temple, its cult and religiosity important again. Falsely believing that there is where salvation is. These have become more important than Jesus.

You need to ask yourself: What is the modern day temple to me?

We have put Jesus in the tabernacle. And only a few privilege ones get to see him or get to receive him. We introduce all sorts of practices, devotions, rituals, even fake or self-serving teachings that eventually draw us away from the true experience of Jesus and his tremendous love for us and replaced it with fear. We replace it with shame, we replace it with guilt and all the drama.

My dear brothers and sisters, perhaps we need to return to the true and authentic place of salvation, the person of Jesus Christ, our Lord and Master. You may say: What are you talking about? We all know.

Yet, we don’t know. Let me tell you that. We often missed the obvious.

Our Messiah, our Saviour who by his death and resurrection has redeemed us and given us new life. How then, my dear brothers and sisters, can we be mindful of this place of salvation which is no more a building, it is no more a temple, it is no more ritual, it is no more law but the person is Jesus Christ, our Lord and Master.

How can you and I be mindful of it that this place of salvation already exists in our hearts?

It already exists in our hearts. We don’t have to look for it anywhere and I am going to tell you the most obvious things. Maybe I need to be reminded so I am just telling you this.

How do we do it?

Believe in Jesus when he says he loves you. And yes, he loves you tremendously. For heaven’s sake, he does! No more conditions. Don’t let anyone tell you otherwise. Don’t believe them even if they are very close to you. Because sometimes you know we say we better do everything. God will punish you. Jesus will be angry. We all seem to have a direct connection with Jesus sometimes.

Believe that you are saved by him unconditionally.
Once you believe that, because it is very important, once you believe that you begin to have hope.
Once you have hope, you have strength.
Once you have strength, you have the courage to live this life of liberation, to live this life of salvation.

You will know it. You will know it.

Next, listen to him in your prayer. I say LISTEN. Listen. That is so important – to listen in prayer. Pray in your own unique way, the way that you are most comfortable with because that is the best way for you. Really! Pray any way you want. Just pray.

Get to know him in the scriptures.
Get to know him in the Eucharist.
Obvious ones.

And last but not least, this must happen to us. TOUCH HIM. If you want to be mindful of this place of salvation, touch him in the least of our brothers and sisters by practising kindness and compassion. We encounter the Lord because he says: Whatever you do to the least of my brother, the least of my sisters (Matthew 25), you do it to me.

And we must be grateful for that opportunity to touch him in the least of our sisters and brothers. 

So my dear brothers and sisters, as we journey from today, we need to see, we need to realise, we need to accept that the veil, the curtain is torn! Let the words of the centurion be our proclamation today and for the rest of our lives.

In truth, this man was the Son of God.

Let those words be our words. And may our lives be at testimony of that proclamation.

Love Jesus, brothers and sisters. Love him.

Click below to listen to homily and watch video:-

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