THE ROMAN CATHOLIC CHURCH

Her Doctrine and Morals

Palm Sunday

24 March 2024

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The Sunday

Sermon

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Dear Friends,

We are quickly approaching the conclusion of our annual Lenten remembrance of Jesus Christ's suffering and death. The events are recalled in vivid detail to awaken our sympathy and compassion for the Son of God, Who has taken upon Himself the punishment for our sins. The vivid remembrance of our sins and humble admission of our guilt in crucifying Jesus awakens in our souls' contrition and repentance. These somber tones of thought and emotion will be quickly turned to joy as we recall the Resurrection of Jesus.

For Easter joy to be as deep and lasting as possible, we must first experience Lenten sorrow as deeply as possible. We must follow Jesus in suffering and death if we wish to follow Him in Resurrection and Life.

These last few days of Lent, we are called upon to put forth even greater efforts to deny ourselves and embrace our crosses. Our goal is not to kill ourselves; that is displeasing to God, Who retains the right over our mortal lives. Jesus could lay down His Life and take it up again because He is God. We have no right to take or injure our own lives because our lives belong to God. But Jesus invites us to imitate Him in a death through self-denial and penance rather than a physical death.

In denying ourselves, we die to the world and our fallen natures. This is perhaps even more bitter than physical death because we are dying, and yet, we live. Spiritual agony or sorrow is much more intense than physical agony or sorrow. While joy may appear in our physical bodies, our souls may bear an unseen but almost crushing sorrow. This spiritual pain is intensified because we have no natural way of communicating this to those around us who are not experiencing it with us. Physically surrounded by people, we are nonetheless spiritually isolated from them. We are being brought to experience the abandonment that Jesus experienced on the Cross. "My God, My God, why hast Thou forsaken Me?"

It isn't easy to understand this until we have personally experienced it. This Holy Week is the ideal time for us to embark on this spiritual journey.

Moderation is our key to doing this well. Jesus gives us an example of His Life. When He wept, He did so with composure and was not carried away with emotion. When He rejoiced, He did so with composure and moderation. When He suffered, He did so meekly, modestly, and moderately. As we recall today's Gospel reading, we see Jesus entering Jerusalem as King. Yet, He comes riding on a lowly beast of burden and not in a chariot or upon the back of a noble steed.

In our lives, we need not avoid our station or responsibilities, but we should strive to fulfill our duties or obligations with all meekness, modesty, and moderation. We do not need the best or the most expensive when the simple or common things suffice. If this strikes hard against our pride and vanity, so much the better. Our worldly sense of fashion and style can be curtailed without neglecting our duties or obligations. We can be clean, neat, modest, and appropriate without giving into worldly pomp and ostentation, as well as avoiding slovenliness and uncleanliness.

Virtue is in the middle. Modesty in dress is between ostentation in fashionable or costly apparel and unkept or carelessness in dress or cleanliness. Though the world will be left to guess our motives or thoughts, God sees them very clearly. Some may think well of us, and others may think ill of us. People's wrong judgments will allow us to better experience Jesus' isolation as His disciples fled from Him or as He hung upon the Cross.

As we nourish our bodies, we should strive for moderation — neither too extravagant nor too meager. Ostentation in eating a costly meal is wrong, but so is ostentation in fasting. Our goal should be to nourish our bodies properly but avoid the fashions or luxuries of this world and overindulgence.

Our choices of entertainment, companionship, activities, etc., need to follow this same pattern of moderation or modesty. Likewise, our choices of prayers, penances, mortifications, etc., need to be modest and moderate. Our goal is not the approval or recognition of the people around us but rather the unnoticed, meek, and humble following of Jesus in everything.

Sorrow moderates our joy; joy moderates our sorrows. Pleasure moderates our pain; pain moderates our pleasures. Our love of Jesus in His suffering is balanced with compassion, sympathy, remorse, and contrition. Similarly, our future joy in the Resurrection must be balanced with humility, meekness, and moderation. Our goal is not to impress or do better than our neighbor but to follow Jesus humbly and meekly.

May the Immaculate Heart of Mary inspire, guide, and protect us!