Trust in Infinite Mercy Leads to Stronger Faith

Palm Sunday is the day that we hear what I submit is the most important, yet difficult Gospel reading of the entire year. We will hear of the mocking, crucifixion, and death of Jesus.

Jesus’ Passion is all about His forgiveness. He knows what the final outcome will be yet He still, somehow, finds the strength to carry through with God’s plan. First, Jesus enters Jerusalem with much fanfare from the crowds that have been following Him during His public ministry, but those in Jerusalem are not so impressed. Within days of first encountering Him, the city turns so against Him, they are willing to kill Him.

Then He knows that all of His closest friends, those He had hand-chosen to follow Him, will abandon Him. It is almost a defeatist attitude Jesus shows when He tells the apostles He knows they will all fold under the pressure of staying with Him that fateful night. Who could blame Jesus if He had that attitude? How much must it have pained Jesus to hear Peter’s bravado, how the apostles would all stay with Jesus even to the point of dying themselves? He knew they would disperse. Then Peter, James, and John couldn’t even stay awake with Jesus for one hour in the garden. To top it off, Judas finally comes with soldiers to take Jesus away. But after all of this, how does Jesus refer to Judas? He calls Judas “Friend.”

I find so much of myself in the Palm Sunday Gospel. Like Peter, I have “talked the talk”, professing my unshakable faith that will help me sum up the strength necessary to back it up with action. When the time comes, though, when I am truly tested, I fall.
What I thought was conviction, was really a hopeful prediction. I have a great prayerful experience, a time of fulfillment at Mass, and I think I am ready for the test. To make matters worse, sometimes this test comes quickly after what I thought was a “life-changing experience.” The result? Failure. Not only could I not stick to my beliefs with actions, I turned my back on Jesus and betrayed Him through sin. And yet Jesus knew this would happen. He knew about each of my failures, even before His crucifixion. He knew I would falter.

But Jesus still did what was necessary. He went all the way. Even though He must have been deeply discouraged, to put it mildly, He still found the strength to do God’s will. And after all of this, He still turns to us, after we betray Him through sin, and calls us “Friend.” How is that possible? It’s possible because Jesus believes in us. It’s possible because He never fails to forgive us. But it’s up to us to seek that forgiveness and receive His mercy.

If we can commit to seeking God’s mercy, we will have the strength to back up our faith. Then when Jesus turns to look at us, we won’t feel the need to flee into the night as Peter did during that first Holy Thursday. No, Jesus will turn to us and say, “Well done, my good and faithful servant, enter into the joy of your master’s house”.