Homily of His Excellency, Selim Sfeir, Maronite Archbishop of Cyprus
Dear brothers and sisters in Christ,
O Christ our God, in the heavens you are carried on a chariot of light, yet on earth you ride on a donkey’s colt. You are hidden from the spiritual powers, yet you are praised by your holy disciples in the streets of Jerusalem. – Prayer of Forgiveness
The liturgy of Palm Sunday opens the Great Week, the Holy Week of our salvation. We will retrace the steps of our poor, chaste, obedient Christ, as He pays the price of our redemption. Let us not miss a single moment of the liturgies of these holy days.
Pope Francis beautifully states: “God saved us by serving us. We often think we are the ones who serve God. No, he is the one who freely chose to serve us, for he loved us first. But how did the Lord serve us? By giving his life for us. We are dear to him; we cost him dearly. Saint Angela of Foligno said she once heard Jesus say: ‘My love for you is no joke’.”
Jesus Christ, seated on a humble donkey, makes his way to Calvary. He is not overtaken by the enthusiasm of the crowds. He knows how duplicitous the human heart is. In a few short days, this same crowd will cower before the religious leaders, terrorised into doing the unthinkable, rejecting Christ, choosing Barabbas and crucifying the Son of God.
Let us look within. Are not our hearts like the people of Palm Sunday? We go from ecstasy and enthusiasm to malice and betrayal. How many times we have said one thing with our lips and did the opposite with our heart?
But Jesus Christ knows our hearts better than we do. He knows we are weak and irresolute. This is why He has come to save us: “I will heal their faithlessness; I will love them deeply” (Hosea 14:5).
Prayer
O Lord Jesus Christ, prepare us to go out to meet you at your second coming, with purity, wearing robes of glory, shouting with those who celebrate: “Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!”
† Selim Sfeir
Maronite Archbishop of Cyprus