There is not much to add to the narrative of the Passion of the Lord. It speaks to us in ways that are both universal and very personal.

Years ago, people put the palms we take home today behind the crucifix in their home for the year or wove them into smaller crosses to wear during this day. They remind us of what happened on Palm Sunday. Palms were leaves of triumph, much like flags people wave today when a head of state visits. They didn’t have flags in those days but people waved palms to honor Jesus as he came toward Jerusalem after raising Lazarus.

We all know those same people would turn on Him a few days later in His Passion. So the palms remind us of three truths:

  • First, they remind us of human fickleness, how quickly today’s hero can be tomorrow’s villain or today’s idol can be next year’s forgotten person. Today’s acclaim can become next month’s derision. If we live our lives dependent on human acclaim, popular opinion, we are building on the wind. The palms remind us of that.
  • Secondly, the palms place us within the Passion account. The characters of the Passion are not creatures from outer space. They are us. Through our reading of the Passion, we can identify with Peter’s denial, with Judas’ betrayal, with the disciples’ flight, with Pilate’s cowardice, with the leaders’ cynicism or with the crowd’s mindless anger. We all have a place in the Passion story. The palms remind us of that as well.
  • Thirdly, the palms remind us of Christ’s love. Despite what all these people did to Him, Jesus died for all of them. His love, His truth, His forgiveness, His grace are the foundations on which we can rely. Despite our failures, in Him we can have a new and strong life. The palms remind us of that as well. Take the palms home today and keep them. They remind us of human fickleness both then and now, of our own sins and failures and of Christ’s redeeming and victorious love which alone can make us whole and strong.

The Church celebrates the liturgies of this Holy Week not only to remind us of sin but to assure each of us of Easter.

~ FR. BRYAN

UNWAVERING LOVE IN THE SHADOW OF THE CROSS

Holy Week always draws me into a silence that is deeper than words, and Matthew 26:14–27:66 invites a different kind of stillness – one that confronts, pierces, and ultimately heals. As I reflect on these gospel passage, I am struck not only by the physical suffering Jesus endured, but by the weight of emotional pain that surrounded Him – betrayal, abandonment, denial, injustice, and deep loneliness. Yet beneath all this pain shines a love that does not falter, even when everything around Him does. It is a story I know, yet each year it lands differently depending on where my heart is.

Judas’ betrayal reminds me how easily a heart can drift when small compromises go unchecked. Sometimes I see a bit of Judas in myself – those moments when I choose convenience, pride, or self-interest over faithfulness. Peter’s denial echoes my own weaknesses: wanting to do the right thing but failing under pressure. The disciples’ fleeing mirrors those times when I step away from responsibility because it feels too heavy or uncomfortable. And the crowd calling for Jesus’ crucifixion makes me reflect on how quickly I can follow the noise around me rather than the truth within me.

Yet Jesus responds with unwavering love. In Him, I see a love that remains steady even when wounded – a love that absorbs rejection, misunderstanding, and cruelty, not with resentment, but with quiet strength and surrender to the Father’s will. His steadfastness becomes a reminder that true love does not retreat in the face of pain; it endures, transforms, and brings light into the
darkest of moments.

The Passion teaches me that God does not protect me from suffering – but He remains with me in suffering. Every Gethsemane moment, every trial, every moment of feeling alone is never wasted. Jesus turns even the darkest experiences into pathways toward resurrection. And so, I hold onto this truth: The cross is not the end. God is already preparing a new beginning. The Passion
is not just a story of Christ’s suffering. It is also a mirror reflecting my own humanity, and the unwavering love that meets me in every part of it.

– m’jenn

PRAYER TO START THE WEEK
Lord Jesus, in Your Passion You showed us the depth of Your love, remaining faithful even in suffering and betrayal. Teach us to trust in the Father’s will and to follow You with courage when our faith is tested. May Your sacrifice lead us to repentance and draw us closer to Your saving grace. Amen.

Originally published in the Neo Jeremiah Voice of the Young Prophet (March 29, 2026 issue).