“When the centurion who stood facing him saw how he breathed his last he said, “Truly this man was the Son of God!” (Mark 15:39)

Today in the holiest week of the Christian calendar we celebrate both Palm Sunday and Passion Sunday because today’s liturgy combines and contrasts moments of Jesus’ glory--as He was given a royal welcome entering the ancient city of Jerusalem--and Jesus’ suffering, the unjust event of His trial culminating in His crucifixion.

With Palm and Passion Sunday, we start the most holy and sacred week of our liturgical calendar.

Today’s major theme challenges us to remember and relive the events which brought about our redemption and salvation, allowing us to appreciate gratefully the price Jesus paid for our salvation, and to return God’s love for us, expressed through the suffering and death of Jesus, by loving God above all else and loving others as ourselves.

The meditation on these Paschal Mysteries enables us to do our own dying to sin and rising with Jesus Christ, which will result in our healing, reconciliation and redemption, deepen our relationship with God, increase our faith, and strengthen our lives as disciples of Jesus Christ.

Today’s readings prompt us to consider the fickleness of the human heart, to become firmer and fuller in faith, to remain faithful to the Christian challenge. Only a listening, welcoming heart will be able to accept responsibility for the cross as well as to revel gratefully in the blessedness of the resurrection.

God does not want us holding a relationship of Transaction but Transformation. Therefore, Dynamic Christian disciples are those who (1) BELIEVE, (2) GROW, (3) SERVE, (4) LOVE and (5) LEAD others to Jesus. Today’s topic invites us to repent our sins, reflect on our vocation of dynamic Christian discipleship to live a holy life to fulfill God’s will and obtain our salvation.

Have we wept over our sinful soul as Jesus wept over Jerusalem? Have we produced fruits of holiness and goodness or evil?

Wishing everyone a blessed week in the Lord.