April 13, 2025 – Palm Sunday: Fr. John Edmunds, ST (@36:55 in the full mass video)

PALM SUNDAY OF THE LORD’S PASSION
Luke 19:28-40
Isaiah 50:4-7
Philippians 2:6-11
Luke 22:14-23:56

Jesus is the Savior. His very name means savior. That was name given him by the angel announcing his birth to Mary and then to Joseph in his dream about Mary: ‘She will give birth to a Son; and you shall name Him Jesus, for He will save His people from their sins.’ Jesus explains his identity in St. John’s gospel this way: For God did not send his Son into the world to condemn the world, but to save the world through him. Jesus saves. But what does that mean? How does Jesus save? Not by his triumphal entry into Jerusalem. Not by his preaching. Not by his miracles. Jesus saves because of his willingness to heed the divine plan even to the point of suffering and death. He emptied himself becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross, according to St. Paul. The gospel writers insist that Jesus’ passion, death and resurrection was the action which saves but they each tell the story in their own way, with different emphases. In his account, St. Luke has several particular incidents which show how Jesus saves.

For example, while each of the gospel writers report that Peter denied knowing Jesus only St. Luke tells us that at the moment of denial Jesus turned and looked straight at Peter. This was a look of love letting Peter know that despite his denial of Jesus, Jesus would never deny him no matter what. Or again, only St. Luke portrays Jesus as able to overlook his own pain while carrying the cross to reach out in love and compassion for the women of Jerusalem who are mourning over him. “Daughters of Jerusalem, do not weep for me; weep for yourselves and for your children.” Only St. Luke reports that on reaching the top of Calvary’s hill Jesus extended forgiveness to those who were executing him. “Father, forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing.” The other gospel writers report that Jesus was crucified between two thieves but only St. Luke has Jesus not focusing on his own pain but extending loving acceptance when the one we call the Good Thief expressed contrition. “Truly I tell you, today you will be with me in paradise.” And in the third Gospel there is no prayer of agony on the cross as in Matthew and Mark (“My God, why have you abandoned me?”) but instead a prayer of surrender into the will of God. Jesus called out with a loud voice, “Father, into your hands I commit my spirit.” Jesus even at the moment of his death trusted in the love of God had for him.

St. Luke does not want us to focus so much on the suffering Jesus went through during the passion. Instead, he highlights the love that motivated Jesus. St. Peter, the women of Jerusalem, those executing him, the good thief were all wrapped in an embrace of love since Jesus knew himself as loved by God despite what he was going through. All of which says Jesus saves not because he suffered but because he loved. We share in the salvation Jesus won for us when we love in turn.