Kaibigang Putik

    

Palm Sunday of the Lord's Passion

02 April 2023

 

First Reading: Is 50:4-7

Responsorial Psalm: Ps 22:8-9, 17-18, 19-20, 23-24

Second Reading: Phil 2:6-11

Gospel: Mt 26:14-27:66

 

Reflection

By: Pietro S. Albano

Then all the disciples left him and fled. (Mt 26:56)

I felt sorry for Jesus as I read the above verse in today’s Gospel. Before He was arrested, these same disciples promised that they will stay by His side no matter what happens. In St. John’s Gospel, Jesus called His disciples as friends because, according to our Lord, “for everything that I learned from my Father I have made known to you” (Jn 15:15). Jesus’ offer of friendship was repaid with betrayal, denial, and cowardice. The disciples were not the only ones who turned their backs on the Lord. The crowd, persuaded by the chief priests and elders, wanted Him dead. This same crowd planned to make Him king by force after being fed in the Multiplication of the Loaves (Jn 6:15).

Though Jesus had His share of mga kaibigang putik (fair-weather friends), He also had friends who stood by Him through thick and thin – the women disciples. Even when He was buried, “Mary Magdalene and the other Mary remained sitting there, facing the tomb.” (Mt 27:61).

St. Thomas Aquinas once wrote, “There is nothing on this earth more to be prized than true friendship”. I am pretty much sure that the women disciples’ fidelity gave unimaginable consolation to the Crucified Jesus. This Holy Week, let’s take the time to ask ourselves: How am I as a friend of Jesus? To whom can I relate with: Peter and company or the women disciples? How am I as a friend to others? 

Prayer

Lord Jesus, thank You for Your Word today. Thank You for calling us Your friends. Forgive us for the many times that we took for granted Your friendship, for exchanging it with something that is superficial and fake. Pour on us Your grace that we may constantly acknowledge You as our friend who died on the cross to save us. Amen.