PALM SUNDAY: MOMENTS OF DEAFNESS AND BLINDNESS OF THE SOUL
Metropolitan-Emeritus Stefan Soroka
Deafness and blindness are great personal challenges, but deafness and blindness of the soul are more tragic. On Palm Sunday, Jerusalem was blind and deaf. Its people did not recognize the true mission of Jesus. Many in the crowds wanted a revolutionary who would fulfill their expectations and help them to realize their nationalistic hopes. Their souls were unmoved. In a few days, the crowds of people will change their hearts and will call out for the crucifixion of Jesus. The disciples will flee and hide. Peter will deny Jesus three times. Imagine the loneliness felt by Jesus.
In each of our lives, there are Palm Sunday moments. Our Lord visits every soul. There are moments when we feel close to God. We feel Him touching our lives. We can hear Him. Regretfully, there are times when we are blind and deaf to God’s visits. We are insensitive to His approaches. These are missed opportunities—personal tragedies. We find ourselves hiding within ourselves and within our day-to-day concerns, hesitant to risk ourselves to respond to Jesus Christ’s presence and His inviting love.
On Palm Sunday, we receive blessed pussy willows or palms as a symbol of our commitment to Christ. Remember that the first commitment was made by Jesus for you and for me, with His complete love and sacrifice on the cross. Let your commitment be expressed through all your words and actions in life, crying out, “Hosanna! Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord!” Allow your love for Jesus Christ to richly express itself in your faithful worship with your parish family in His Church. May your enthusiastic faith help others to shed their blindness and deafness to the visits of our Lord and Savior Jesus Christ in their daily lives. Live the peace of Jesus Christ personally and share it with others who desperately need to hear of Christ’s promise of unending joy and peace with Him for all who believe and follow His ways! Choose to live as an Easter person!
Painting Credit: Dyven Svit
