Reflection for Palm Sunday, March 25, 2018 by Edward McKibbin, Notre Dame Associate

Palm Sunday is a good time to reflect upon the confusion that often exists in our lives.  Palm Sunday is both a tragic and perplexing event as many of the same people who hailed Jesus as a king on Palm Sunday, played a role in calling for his crucifixion on the following Friday.  But how often have we committed this same offense by virtue of our own confusion over who we are and why we were created by God in God’s image?
We often seek power and prestige.  This is not who Jesus was.  Jesus was the suffering servant who sought to serve rather than be served. 
God is a giver.  God gave us his only Son to die for our sins in order for us to be redeemed. Jesus was not entering Jerusalem to overthrow the Romans as many had hoped.  Rather, Jesus came to Jerusalem to give us the ultimate gift, the gift of himself.
We have been created in God’s image.  Therefore, when one selflessly gives oneself in service of others we are perfecting the reason for our creation.  Jesus, fully God and fully human, set the example for us as human beings when he came to Jerusalem to give himself for our redemption as opposed to seeking power and prestige.  We are called to do the same. 
 On Palm Sunday we reflect upon whether we have given our time, treasure and talent in service of others, or to serve merely ourselves for our own personal gain.  Despite the fact that the world tells us otherwise, true happiness lies in following the example that Jesus provided to us, giving ourselves in service of others as opposed to seeking fame and fortune.