The Night Was Long, But Love Stayed Awake

   

Palm Sunday of the Lord's Passion

13 April 2025

 

First Reading: Isaiah 50:4-7

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

Second Reading: Philippians 2:6-11

Gospel: Luke 23:1-49

 

Reflection

By: Theresa B. Manio

 

There was a time in my life when the nights felt impossibly long—like time stood still, and I was stuck inside a silence that echoed too loudly. I remember lying in bed, staring at the ceiling, feeling a kind of ache that words couldn’t hold. During the day, everything seemed normal. I was functioning, productive, even smiling. But when the world went quiet, the shadows came back. I felt like I was living a double life—guilt creeping in for pretending I was okay when, deep down, I wasn’t.

PTSD had wrapped itself around me like a heavy fog. I couldn’t find a way out. I hurt in ways no one could see. Sometimes, I hurt myself—just trying to feel something, or maybe to match the chaos inside. I didn’t understand why I was going through it. I felt broken. Ashamed. Alone.

And then I read again the story of Jesus’ own darkest night. In Luke’s Gospel, Jesus is betrayed, abandoned by His closest friends, mocked, beaten, and condemned for a crime He didn’t commit. In the garden, He falls to the ground and prays, overwhelmed to the point of sweating blood. But He stays. He doesn’t run. He doesn’t numb the pain. He doesn’t give in to despair. He simply whispers, “Not my will, but Yours be done,” and walks into the suffering with open eyes and a wide-open heart.

My pain might not compare to His—but in His story, I saw mine. Not dismissed, not minimized—understood.

For a long time, I wondered why God allowed everything that happened to me. Why didn’t He stop the pain or fix me right away? But as I sat with this Gospel, I started to realize: Sometimes, God doesn’t take the suffering away. Sometimes, He joins us in it. Sometimes, He stays up with us through the long nights, just to let us know we’re not alone.

I was 20 when I attended a retreat that changed everything. I remember finally speaking my truth in confession—my wounds, my sins, my fears—and I’ll never forget what the priest gently said: “Jesus was with you. He sees your suffering. He was there. He just couldn’t make it stop, because He can’t control people’s actions.”

That moment broke something open in me. I hadn’t realized it before, but Jesus was with me. In every tear. In every silent scream. Every night I thought I wouldn't survive. He never turned away. He stayed.

And now—on the other side of that long, dark night—I see something I didn’t recognize before. The wounds didn’t destroy me. They deepened me. They gave me a heart that can recognize pain in others and sit with them in it. Because I’ve been there. Because I know what it’s like. And because Jesus stayed with me, I now have the strength to stay with someone else.

That’s what the cross does. It doesn’t erase our pain. But it transforms it. It turns our deepest wounds into bridges of compassion. It turns our brokenness into love.

I don’t have all the answers. But I know this: No matter how long the night is—Love stays awake. Love keeps watch. Love whispers, “You are not alone.”

If you’re reading this and you're hurting, please hold on. You are seen. You are loved. And you are not alone in your pain. Jesus is with you—and so are many others who’ve walked through the fire and are still here, reaching back to walk with you. Look at Jesus on the cross. You’re still here. And that means hope is, too.

Prayer

Jesus, stay with me in the silence, in the heaviness, in the nights that feel too long. Remind me that even in my deepest pain, I am never alone because You stayed awake for love. I will wait with You in the darkness, trusting that just as You rose, Your light will rise in me too. Amen.

Passion

“ When Jesus entered Jerusalem, the whole city was disturbed. The people asked, "Who is this man?" And the crowd answered, "This is the Prophet Jesus from Nazareth of Galilee."
Matthew 21:10-11

At the Procession with Palms —  Gospel

First Reading: Mt 21:1-11

When Jesus and the disciples drew near Jerusalem and came to Bethphage on the Mount of Olives, Jesus sent two disciples, saying to them, "Go into the village opposite you, and immediately you will find an ass tethered, and a colt with her. Untie them and bring them here to me. And if anyone should say anything to you, reply, 'The master has need of them.' Then he will send them at once." This happened so that what had been spoken through the prophet might be fulfilled: Say to daughter Zion, "Behold, your king comes to you, meek and riding on an ass, and on a colt, the foal of a beast of burden."

The disciples went and did as Jesus had ordered them. They brought the ass and the colt and laid their cloaks over them, and he sat upon them. The very large crowd spread their cloaks on the road, while others cut branches from the trees and strewed them on the road. The crowds preceding him and those following kept crying out and saying:

"Hosanna to the Son of David; blessed is the he who comes in the name of the Lord; hosanna in the highest." And when he entered Jerusalem the whole city was shaken and asked, "Who is this?" And the crowds replied, "This is Jesus the prophet, from Nazareth in Galilee."

First Reading: Is 50:4-7

The Lord GOD has given me a well-trained tongue, that I might know how to speak to the weary a word that will rouse them. Morning after morning he opens my ear that I may hear; and I have not rebelled, have not turned back. I gave my back to those who beat me, my cheeks to those who plucked my beard; my face I did not shield from buffets and spitting.

The Lord GOD is my help, therefore I am not disgraced; I have set my face like flint, knowing that I shall not be put to shame.

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

Second Reading: Phil 2:6-11

Christ Jesus, though he was in the form of God, did not regard equality with God something to be grasped. Rather, he emptied himself, taking the form of a slave, coming in human likeness; and found human in appearance, he humbled himself, becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. Because of this, God greatly exalted him and bestowed on him the name which is above every name, that at the name of Jesus every knee should bend, of those in heaven and on earth and under the earth, and every tongue confess that Jesus Christ is Lord, to the glory of God the Father.

Verse Before the Gospel: Phil 2:8-9

Christ became obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. Because of this, God greatly exalted him and bestowed on him the name which is above every name.

Gospel: Mt 26:14—27:66

One of the Twelve, who was called Judas Iscariot, went to the chief priests and said, "What are you willing to give me if I hand him over to you?" They paid him thirty pieces of silver, and from that time on he looked for an opportunity to hand him over.

On the first day of the Feast of Unleavened Bread, the disciples approached Jesus and said, "Where do you want us to prepare for you to eat the Passover?" He said, "Go into the city to a certain man and tell him, 'The teacher says, "My appointed time draws near; in your house I shall celebrate the Passover with my disciples." The disciples then did as Jesus had ordered, and prepared the Passover.

When it was evening, he reclined at table with the Twelve. And while they were eating, he said, "Amen, I say to you, one of you will betray me." Deeply distressed at this, they began to say to him one after another, "Surely it is not I, Lord?" He said in reply, "He who has dipped his hand into the dish with me is the one who will betray me. The Son of Man indeed goes, as it is written of him, but woe to that man by whom the Son of Man is betrayed. It would be better for that man if he had never been born." Then Judas, his betrayer, said in reply, "Surely it is not I, Rabbi?" He answered, "You have said so."

While they were eating, Jesus took bread, said the blessing, broke it, and giving it to his disciples said, "Take and eat; this is my body." Then he took a cup, gave thanks, and gave it to them, saying, "Drink from it, all of you, for this is my blood of the covenant, which will be shed on behalf of many for the forgiveness of sins. I tell you, from now on I shall not drink this fruit of the vine until the day when I drink it with you new in the kingdom of my Father." Then, after singing a hymn, they went out to the Mount of Olives.

Then Jesus said to them, "This night all of you will have your faith in me shaken, for it is written: I will strike the shepherd, and the sheep of the flock will be dispersed; but after I have been raised up, I shall go before you to Galilee." Peter said to him in reply, "Though all may have their faith in you shaken, mine will never be." Jesus said to him, "Amen, I say to you, this very night before the cock crows, you will deny me three times." Peter said to him, "Even though I should have to die with you, I will not deny you." And all the disciples spoke likewise.

 

Then Jesus came with them to a place called Gethsemane, and he said to his disciples, "Sit here while I go over there and pray." He took along Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, and began to feel sorrow and distress. Then he said to them, "My soul is sorrowful even to death. Remain here and keep watch with me." He advanced a little and fell prostrate in prayer, saying, "My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from me; yet, not as I will, but as you will." When he returned to his disciples he found them asleep. He said to Peter, "So you could not keep watch with me for one hour? Watch and pray that you may not undergo the test.

The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak." Withdrawing a second time, he prayed again, "My Father, if it is not possible that this cup pass without my drinking it, your will be done!" Then he returned once more and found them asleep, for they could not keep their eyes open. He left them and withdrew again and prayed a third time, saying the same thing again. Then he returned to his disciples and said to them, "Are you still sleeping and taking your rest? Behold, the hour is at hand when the Son of Man is to be handed over to sinners. Get up, let us go. Look, my betrayer is at hand."

While he was still speaking, Judas, one of the Twelve, arrived, accompanied by a large crowd, with swords and clubs, who had come from the chief priests and the elders of the people. His betrayer had arranged a sign with them, saying, "The man I shall kiss is the one; arrest him." Immediately he went over to Jesus and said, "Hail, Rabbi!" and he kissed him.

Jesus answered him, "Friend, do what you have come for." Then stepping forward they laid hands on Jesus and arrested him. And behold, one of those who accompanied Jesus put his hand to his sword, drew it, and struck the high priest's servant, cutting off his ear. Then Jesus said to him, "Put your sword back into its sheath, for all who take the sword will perish by the sword.

Do you think that I cannot call upon my Father and he will not provide me at this moment with more than twelve legions of angels? But then how would the Scriptures be fulfilled which say that it must come to pass in this way?" At that hour Jesus said to the crowds, "Have you come out as against a robber, with swords and clubs to seize me? Day after day I sat teaching in the temple area, yet you did not arrest me. But all this has come to pass that the writings of the prophets may be fulfilled." Then all the disciples left him and fled. Those who had arrested Jesus led him away to Caiaphas the high priest, where the scribes and the elders were assembled. Peter was following him at a distance as far as the high priest's courtyard, and going inside he sat down with the servants to see the outcome.

The chief priests and the entire Sanhedrin kept trying to obtain false testimony against Jesus in order to put him to death, but they found none, though many false witnesses came forward. Finally two came forward who stated, "This man said, 'I can destroy the temple of God and within three days rebuild it.'" The high priest rose and addressed him, "Have you no answer? What are these men testifying against you?" But Jesus was silent.

Then the high priest said to him, "I order you to tell us under oath before the living God whether you are the Christ, the Son of God." Jesus said to him in reply, You have said so.

But I tell you: From now on you will see 'the Son of Man seated at the right hand of the Power' and 'coming on the clouds of heaven.'" Then the high priest tore his robes and said, "He has blasphemed! What further need have we of witnesses? You have now heard the blasphemy; what is your opinion?" They said in reply, "He deserves to die!" Then they spat in his face and struck him, while some slapped him, saying, "Prophesy for us, Christ: who is it that struck you?"

Now Peter was sitting outside in the courtyard. One of the maids came over to him and said, "You too were with Jesus the Galilean." But he denied it in front of everyone, saying, "I do not know what you are talking about!" As he went out to the gate, another girl saw him and said to those who were there, "This man was with Jesus the Nazorean." Again he denied it with an oath, "I do not know the man!" A little later the bystanders came over and said to Peter, "Surely you too are one of them; even your speech gives you away."

At that he began to curse and to swear, "I do not know the man." And immediately a cock crowed. Then Peter remembered the word that Jesus had spoken: "Before the cock crows you will deny me three times." He went out and began to weep bitterly.

When it was morning, all the chief priests and the elders of the people took counsel against Jesus to put him to death. They bound him, led him away, and handed him over to Pilate, the governor. Then Judas, his betrayer, seeing that Jesus had been condemned, deeply regretted what he had done. He returned the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and elders, saying, "I have sinned in betraying innocent blood." They said, "What is that to us? Look to it yourself." Flinging the money into the temple, he departed and went off and hanged himself. The chief priests gathered up the money, but said, "It is not lawful to deposit this in the temple treasury, for it is the price of blood." After consultation, they used it to buy the potter's field as a burial place for foreigners. That is why that field even today is called the Field of Blood. Then was fulfilled what had been said through Jeremiah the prophet, And they took the thirty pieces of silver, the value of a man with a price on his head, a price set by some of the Israelites, and they paid it out for the potter's field just as the Lord had commanded me.

Now Jesus stood before the governor, and he questioned him, "Are you the king of the Jews?" Jesus said, "You say so." And when he was accused by the chief priests and elders, he made no answer. Then Pilate said to him, "Do you not hear how many things they are testifying against you?" But he did not answer him one word, so that the governor was greatly amazed.

Now on the occasion of the feast the governor was accustomed to release to the crowd one prisoner whom they wished. And at that time they had a notorious prisoner called Barabbas. So when they had assembled, Pilate said to them, "Which one do you want me to release to you, Barabbas, or Jesus called Christ?" For he knew that it was out of envy that they had handed him over. While he was still seated on the bench, his wife sent him a message, "Have nothing to do with that righteous man. I suffered much in a dream today because of him." The chief priests and the elders persuaded the crowds to ask for Barabbas but to destroy Jesus. The governor said to them in reply, "Which of the two do you want me to release to you?"

They answered, "Barabbas!" Pilate said to them, "Then what shall I do with Jesus called Christ?" They all said, "Let him be crucified!" But he said, "Why? What evil has he done?" They only shouted the louder, "Let him be crucified!" When Pilate saw that he was not succeeding at all, but that a riot was breaking out instead, he took water and washed his hands in the sight of the crowd, saying, "I am innocent of this man's blood.

Look to it yourselves." And the whole people said in reply, "His blood be upon us and upon our children." Then he released Barabbas to them, but after he had Jesus scourged, he handed him over to be crucified.

Then the soldiers of the governor took Jesus inside the praetorium and gathered the whole cohort around him. They stripped off his clothes and threw a scarlet military cloak about him. Weaving a crown out of thorns, they placed it on his head, and a reed in his right hand. And kneeling before him, they mocked him, saying, "Hail, King of the Jews!" They spat upon him and took the reed and kept striking him on the head. And when they had mocked him, they stripped him of the cloak, dressed him in his own clothes, and led him off to crucify him.

As they were going out, they met a Cyrenian named Simon; this man they pressed into service to carry his cross.

And when they came to a place called Golgotha —which means Place of the Skull —, they gave Jesus wine to drink mixed with gall. But when he had tasted it, he refused to drink. After they had crucified him, they divided his garments by casting lots; then they sat down and kept watch over him there. And they placed over his head the written charge against him:

This is Jesus, the King of the Jews. Two revolutionaries were crucified with him, one on his right and the other on his left. Those passing by reviled him, shaking their heads and saying, "You who would destroy the temple and rebuild it in three days, save yourself, if you are the Son of God, and come down from the cross!" Likewise the chief priests with the scribes and elders mocked him and said, "He saved others; he cannot save himself. So he is the king of Israel! Let him come down from the cross now, and we will believe in him. He trusted in God; let him deliver him now if he wants him. For he said, 'I am the Son of God.'" The revolutionaries who were crucified with him also kept abusing him in the same way.

From noon onward, darkness came over the whole land until three in the afternoon. And about three o'clock Jesus cried out in a loud voice, "Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?" which means, "My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?" Some of the bystanders who heard it said, "This one is calling for Elijah." Immediately one of them ran to get a sponge; he soaked it in wine, and putting it on a reed, gave it to him to drink.

But the rest said, Wait, let us see if Elijah comes to save him." But Jesus cried out again in a loud voice, and gave up his spirit.

Here all kneel and pause for a short time.

And behold, the veil of the sanctuary was torn in two from top to bottom. The earth quaked, rocks were split, tombs were opened, and the bodies of many saints who had fallen asleep were raised. And coming forth from their tombs after his resurrection, they entered the holy city and appeared to many. The centurion and the men with him who were keeping watch over Jesus feared greatly when they saw the earthquake and all that was happening, and they said, "Truly, this was the Son of God!"

Reflection by:

By Carlo Alexis Malaluan

Today, we begin the Holy Days of commemorating the Lord’s passion with a triumphant entry. A large crowd welcomes the Lord into Jerusalem,spreading their cloaks and robes on theway, cutting branches from trees, singing songs of praise. The crowd welcomes the Lord enthusiastically. However, this same crowd are those who shouted for his crucifixion. Many times in our lives, we tend to welcome the Lord with delirious joy but on the other hand, we also crucify him with our sinfulness and wrongdoings.

The Gospel today reminds us of the crucifixion and death of the Lord. Such an eerie yet dignified sight to behold–the son of man was crucified for our salvation.In the crucifixion, the crowd changed their minds drastically –from singing songs of praise into shouting words of blasphemy. But the Lord remained constant amidst the face of the changing crowd. His heart didn’t change but his love changed the world forever.

What baffles me is the thought that Jesus remained on the cross.What made him to remain?What made him to continue to suffer for the salvation of man? He could instantly go down and refuse to carry the cross but he became obedient unto death. All of these, he had done because of love.

Love is what brought the Lord on the cross.Love is what made him remain on the cross.Love is what we have rejected because of sin.Love is what Jesus offered to us. Compassion is the name of the Lord. I would like to define what compassion really means.The word compassion came from two latin words, Comand Passio. The word ‘Com”means communion,to be one with others. The word ‘Passio” signifies suffering, to lay open, to become wounded. When combined,these two words form the ‘Compassio’, to become one in the suffering with others.This is what Jesus had shown to us when he was laying at the cross–He joined us in our suffering! The cross of Jesus is our cross yet he owned it has his own. Despite of our rejection and cold heartedness,he chose to be with us! He chose to suffer with us! We are assured that we are not alone in carrying our own crosses and burden. This is also our calling.This is also our vocation–suffer with others!

It is easy to love someone who is dear to us.It is easy to love our friends,our family, our close affiliates but it is not easy to suffer with strangers,with the poor, with the hungry,with the sorrowful. This is a challenge we are trying to heed every single day.We may become overjoyed in singing our own hosanna but we must always remember our real mission: the cross!

To suffer with others means to suffer like Christ –to become Christlike!

Prayer:

This holy observance of the passion and death of the Lord,may we be reminded of our calling. May we remain faithful to our vocation even if it will lead us to the cross! Amen.