by Fr. Ed Liptak, SDB

Who were involved in the Passion and Death of Jesus the Lord? Largely from St. Mark’s Gospel on this Palm Sunday, one can identify people both friendly and unfriendly to the Son of God at the sad climax of our salvation.

First mentioned by Mark are the chief Priests, Scribes, and Elders who were searching to find grounds on which to arrest Jesus and put Him to death. But they feared to cause a riot among the people just two or three days before Passover. Great crowds gathered because that Passover came on a Sabbath, making it a doubly holy festival. Truly, it could not be more holy, for Jesus would die that Preparation Day. Later in Mark’s ‘Passion,’ they did arrest Him, treat Him hatefully, and turned him over to the Roman authorities. 

Thus, Mark introduced Pontius Pilate and his soldiers. Often it is said Pilate wanted to free Jesus, but under pressure from the chief Priests and their followers, he did say, “I find no case against Him for death” (See Lk 23:22). Yet he had Jesus scourged and turned over to his soldiers to crown, mock, and crucify. Pilate can remind us of when we knew we were doing wrong but did it anyway.

And let us never be so self-assured as to think we cannot fall into sin. Think of the conduct of the Apostles of Jesus and how they fled at His arrest. Think of the treachery of Judas kissing his Master as a sign for His capture. Consider Peter’s fear, denying he even knew Jesus.

Among us still are clusters of good and bad people. The sacrifice of Jesus was offered for all. We try to stay among those who love Him and respect what He did for us, but there are others who shamefully disregard Him. They are like the bypasses who saw Him hanging from the cross and mocked Him. Evil dwells among us.

On these Holy Days, Lord Jesus, keep us free from sin, cleanse us if we have sinned, and as David cried out to You, 

“Turn your face away from my sins and erase all my iniquities.” (Ps 51:11)