Palm Sunday: Be a part of life with people in both happy and sad situations

Fr. Gerry D’Souza

Christian communities celebrated the beginning of their faith’s Holy Week with Passion Sunday, also known as Palm Sunday. On this day, the Christian community draws attention to two special points, the first is the donkey and the second are the palm branches.

The donkey has a specific symbol. In the olden days, military officers engaged in wars and battles would ride on the most efficient animals — fast and furious war horses. On the festival of Palm Sunday, Christian believers remember the entry of the Lord into the city riding on a donkey. Donkey is an insignificant animal. God wants to convey the message to His believers that He gives priority to even the insignificant and emphasizes that he needs the donkey also.

How many of us would have been like a donkey in some way or the other? We must have ever gone through such a moment when we did not get along well with others. Many times there must have come a time in our lives when no one paid attention to us. There are many such people, the most isolated, and frustrated by poverty, unemployment, suffering from disease, struggling with many types of worries and problems. Even during some minor dispute at home or in the family, our own people might have told us, “You are useless.” Have husband and wife ever said about each other, “I don’t need you.”

When the children go as per their wish, the parents say, “You are nothing to me and you have no place in the house.” The example of the donkey on Palm Sunday calls us to be ready to hear the voice of God saying in the silence of our lives, “I need you” – when we are living a life of despair, when we fail in any exam or in any work we need to hear the voice whispering to us to remain strong in life. The palm branches and the crowd in the procession give us the same message that we, all insignificant people, are God’s beloved sons and daughters. We take palm branches in procession as a sign of victory in the eyes of God who recognizes us and we together sing praises of victory. Many of us are happy to be part of the ‘city crowd.’ Once a part of the crowd, we easily shout ‘Hosanna’ and are happy. It is here our life signifies to the truth that where there is No Cross No Crown!

Now, we have palms in our hands – they are fresh and green. But within a few days will dry up. It is easy to sing and shout ‘Hosanna’ when everything is fresh and green in city crowd. But can we maintain the same spirit, even when things dry up? When difficult situations arise in life?

When we are counted as insignificant like a donkey, or do I want to remain a part of the city crowd with no cross and no crown? Do we support each other at every moment of our life? Or should we just shout being part of the crowd – “crucify him” like the crowd said as the Son of God riding on a donkey?

(Author is Administrator, Loyola School, Telco. The views expressed are personal.)