Dear Brothers and Sisters in Christ,

It is with great joy and gratitude to God that we celebrate this year’s Passion Sunday. As the name indicates, this Sunday is the beginning of the Holy Week when we celebrate the passion, death, and eventually the resurrection of Jesus the Christ on Easter. The Passion Sunday is also called “Palm Sunday”. We recall the triumphal entry of Jesus Christ into Jerusalem whereby the people were jubilant, waving palm leaves and shouting hosanna to the Son of David. He had preached with authority, feeds the hungry, healed the sick, restored the sight of the man born blind and lastly raised Lazarus from the dead. Indeed, he has done and made all things well. Consequently, attraction to his personality became intense, belief and faith in him increased and deepened in the hearts of many. He certainly was the Messiah, they thought, and some acknowledged him publicly as one. It was not long the hosanna chants faded away that the same people were quick to shout, “crucify him crucify him”. What an irony of life! The encounter of Jesus with the Jews and their leaders in the final days of the Lord’ human life on earth were marked by intrigues and the biblical presentation of the events is spiced with emotions, surprises, denials, betrayals, courage, fear, affection, and wonder. Such a story is one we pay keen attention to and see if we can identify ourselves with one or more of the characters in the story as recorded in the Gospels.

The Messiah, truly he was, but a different kind of Messiah. He was going to Jerusalem to embrace his death because through a death he freely accepted, he liberated mankind from sin and eternal death.  Through his death he destroyed our death and by rising, restored our life. Perhaps, this is the greatest paradox in human history. It is the events of this paradox that we are happy to repeatedly celebrate. Therein lies our faith, hope and life as Christians. There are highlights of our celebrations beginning with the Palm Sunday. The Passion/Palm Sunday is the first day of the Holy Week. Granted that every week is holy, but this particular week is holy in a special way, precisely because in this week the climactic events of our redemption are recalled and re-enacted. This week ushers us into the Triduum- Holy Thursday, Good Friday, and Holy Saturday.

On Holy Thursday, we celebrate the institution of the priesthood and the Eucharist-The Lord’s Supper. Good Friday is a day we celebrate the passion of Christ in which he gives us all of himself on the cross which we venerate to embrace his immeasurable love. On Holy Saturday, we celebrate Christ our light who dispels the darkness of sin and death. Holy Saturday is our Easter vigil when we announce the Resurrection Joy and the victory of life over death. These events are better experienced than told. Devout Catholics, Christians and sometimes non-Christians pay keen attention to them. For all those who believe, participating in these events is spiritually nourishing, enriching, and uplifting. They are life-changing or transformative to the extent that they enhance our wellbeing, strengthen our faith, consolidate our love for God and neighbor, feel us with joy and make our lives purposeful and meaningful.   

It is always surprising and unusual to see some Catholics miss out on the activities of the Holy Week. We are grateful to God for his grace enabling our Lenten observances for several weeks until now. Brothers and Sisters, it is fitting to complete our Lenten spiritual journey well in order to reap the fruits in abundance. The beginning of the Holy Week provides us with themes for reflection. We can spend some quiet time to ponder more on Jesus’ mysterious love for us, His virtues of humility, obedience, and sacrifice. We may want to incorporate some of those qualities into our lives. We could also contemplate the vices of betrayal, hatred, disobedience, and envy. Contemplating these vices would help us to see how destructive they are and the need to eschew such from our lives.

Remarkably, the Holy Week offers some of us who have not really had time to be part of the Lenten activities an auspicious moment to participate in the wonderful highpoint-events of our redemption. To many others who wish to be physically present but are not able to do so because of unavoidable circumstances, we encourage you to join us through our livestream and in the spirit as we pray with you and for one another. Indeed, this is our special week of recollection, meditation, and fervent prayers. Let us all savor the sweetness of the paschal mysteries as we strive to relive the mysteries we celebrate.

It is our hope that these celebrations may renew our lives in many ways to the greater glory of God and for our sanctification and salvation. Peace be with you!

                                                                                                          Fr. Emmanuel C. Madu. 

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