At the beginning of Mass, we too repeated it. We waved our palms, our olive branches. We too welcomed Jesus; we too expressed our joy at accompanying him, at knowing him to be close, present in us and among us as a friend, a brother, and also as a King: that is, a shining beacon for our lives. Jesus is God, but he lowered himself to walk with us. He is our friend, our brother. He illumines our path here. And in this way we have welcomed him today. And here the first word that I wish to say to you: joy! Do not be men and women of sadness: a Christian can never be sad! Never give way to discouragement! Ours is not a joy born of having many possessions, but from having encountered a Person: Jesus, in our midst; it is born from knowing that with him we are never alone, even at difficult moments, even when our life’s journey comes up against problems and obstacles that seem insurmountable, and there are so many of them.
- Pope Francis, Palm Sunday, March 24, 2013
Palm Sunday or as it is also referred, Passion Sunday is a day of contrasts. It begins with the joyful recounting of Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem. It transitions into the sorrowful recounting of Jesus’ passion. When you come to celebrate Palm Sunday, what stands out? Does the joyful entry or the sorrowful passion speak to you? Pope Francis calls people to be joyful Christians. That does not mean that sorrows never touch our hearts and lives. That is unrealistic. The Pope’s call to joy is a challenge, an invitation to reflect on what brings us joy. We experience many joys during our lifetime, but they do not appear to past. True joy, enduring joy, comes from our relationship with the Lord. This week we have a special opportunity to encounter the Lord in our celebration of these holy days. Come and celebrate, come and discover the source of enduring joy.
- Pope Francis, Palm Sunday, March 24, 2013
Palm Sunday or as it is also referred, Passion Sunday is a day of contrasts. It begins with the joyful recounting of Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem. It transitions into the sorrowful recounting of Jesus’ passion. When you come to celebrate Palm Sunday, what stands out? Does the joyful entry or the sorrowful passion speak to you? Pope Francis calls people to be joyful Christians. That does not mean that sorrows never touch our hearts and lives. That is unrealistic. The Pope’s call to joy is a challenge, an invitation to reflect on what brings us joy. We experience many joys during our lifetime, but they do not appear to past. True joy, enduring joy, comes from our relationship with the Lord. This week we have a special opportunity to encounter the Lord in our celebration of these holy days. Come and celebrate, come and discover the source of enduring joy.