Readings and meditation on the Word of God on the Palm Sunday, March 29th, 2026

Delivered by Jesi Patricia, Michaela, and Kezia from the Parish of Sacred Heart of Jesus Cathedral in the Archdiocese of Makassar, Indonesia. Isaiah 50: 1-4; Rs psalm 22: 8-9.17-18a.19-20.23-24; Philippians 2: 6-11; Matthew 21: 1-11.JESUS CHRIST, THE SUFFERING GREAT KING Our meditation on this Palm Sunday of the Lord'sPassion is entitled: Jesus Christ, The Suffering Great King. Congratulation toevery one of us as we enter the holy week of this year! We are heading for thetop of all the Lenten preparations, in the celebration of the three holy days:Thursday, Friday and Saturday, with its conclusion on the Sunday of the Lord'sResurrection. The start of the holy week is marked by the celebration of PalmSunday of the Lord's passion. We are all under the guidance of the crucifiedChrist, that from this Sunday until Holy Saturday, the focus of our celebrationare on the sacred events of Jesus Christ, from entering the city of Jerusalemas the Great King, to such a bitter and cruel suffering on the cross which hewas willingly to endure. By looking at the Crucified Jesus while following Hispassion narrative so well expressed in the today's Gospel, we receive guidancefrom Jesus Himself about His passion experience. He personally speaks to us, toyou and to me. Some follow this naration by reading and hearing its dramaticstory. Others perhaps follow in online media because certain difficulties thatprevent them to come to the church. The story shows His obedience to the willof the almighty Father. We who follow Him are brought into this mystery of Hispassion. If we do not take part in this special celebration, this means that weare not with Him at His very dramatic moment. He opens our understanding of faith about the basicreason for his mission into the world. He was sent by the Father into the worldwith the main task of doing the will of the Father through His act ofrenunciation. The consequence of this self-emptying act is to become even themost humiliated human person on earth in order to lift up the humiliated humanbeings due to sin and the world's power of evil. He was born in the most humblecondition, His public ministry was always to the poorest and least of thesociety, and finally he was sentenced to death in a very humiliating way, whichis death on the cross. This guidance from the Crucified Jesus does not onlyenlighten our understanding of faith, but also forming our faith commitment tolive out the spirit of renunciation. We commit ourselves to Jesus because weare drown by his way of renunciation. We are always encoureged to struggle inlife, to offer ourselves in the services and sacrifices for our neighbors, andeven to die for the sake of God's Kingdom. The prophet Isaiah advises us thatin making sacrifices in the name of God and for the goodness of our fellow men,we must not be ashamed and afraid for having some experiences of suffering,because the Lord Jesus already promised to be always with us. The crucifiedJesus becomes our standard for bearing any kind of struggle, suffering andsacrifice. This standard does not intend to humiliate or frighten us Hisfollowers, but it truly becomes our strength. The one who experiences sufferingin calmness, patience and willingness in the name of Jesus Christ, he lives outthe spirit of Jesus Christ, the suffering great king.Let'spray. In the name of the Father ... O Jesus the King, strengthen our faith toalways recognize You as our true King, so that our lives always aim to do thewill of the Father. Glory to the Father and to the Son and to the Holy Spirit... In the name of the Father ...