Palm Sunday of the Lord's Passion, April 13, 2025

2025 Apr 13 SUN: PALM SUNDAY OF THE LORD'S PASSION Procession: Lk 19: 28-40. Mass: Is 50: 4-7/ Ps 22: 8-9. 17-18. 19-20. 23-24/ Phil 2:6-11/ Lk 22: 14 -- 23: 56 We have heard from a suffering servant song of Isaiah and also from the great hymn of St. Paul's Letter to the Philippians regarding the self-emptying of Jesus, true God, and true man. And there is so much that we could comment on in St. Luke's Passion, but I will point out just one detail. Anyone else who addresses Jesus in Luke's Gospel uses terms such as Lord and Master. But the man who is crucified along with Jesus, the man who rebukes the other criminal, this man says, "Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom." And this is the only time in Luke's Gospel* in which Jesus is addressed by his name. So there is a great intimacy to be found in this strange spectacle. He must have heard Jesus teach at some point. And now as both are dying, he makes this request with his first name, "Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom." And Jesus replies, "This day you will be with me in paradise."  We remember that the reason for Jesus' death was that he might open the gates of heaven, the gates of paradise, so that all could enter. And we think very kindly of the first man who proceeded [there] with Jesus. * [in fact, in ANY Gospel]