Gospel Reflection for Sunday, April 13, 2025

Truly, this man was just.

Dear brothers and sisters, peace and blessings.

It seemed so far away when we began Lent, back on the fifth of March. But here we are—Palm Sunday. Each of us knows how we’ve lived this time. What matters most is realizing that every year, Christ’s Passion becomes real again. We have a whole week to prepare for the most important night of the year. Let’s not miss the chance to meet the Lord the way He deserves.

Today’s readings are quite intense. We hear about the suffering servant—an image of Christ himself. Saint Paul gives us a beautiful description of how Jesus gave himself completely. And then we hear the Passion, according to Saint Luke. We know the story—we’ve heard it many times—but we listen to it again because this is how Christ’s Passion is renewed in each of us.

Jesus is the suffering servant. From the beginning, people have seen Him this way, because He went through everything that the servant did. He faced everything with courage and never turned back. He obeyed the Father and fulfilled His mission. Like the servant in Isaiah, Jesus always listened to the Father, spoke words of comfort and hope, stayed close to the poor and the outcast, and ended His life like that same servant.

It’s good to remember that today, there are still heroes and martyrs who live this same experience of the Lord’s servant. And for us believers, the most important thing is to keep listening to God’s Word, live it out through our actions, and be ready to face the consequences of the choices we freely make.

Because Jesus gave Himself freely for us. In the letter to the Philippians, Saint Paul shares one of the most amazing parts of the Bible—he explains how Jesus gave up His divine privileges to become a servant, to humble Himself, and to die on a cross. We’re not divine. We experience humiliation in many ways, and death is part of life for us. But it wasn’t like that for Christ. He chose to be human. He chose to be humbled and to die. That’s something we could never do on our own. He did it to free us from the weight of death. One day, all of humanity will be united with Him, and then God’s plan will be complete.

And now, we come to the Gospel—the Passion of Christ according to Luke. In his Gospel, Luke always shows the goodness and mercy of Jesus. In the Synoptic Gospels (Matthew, Mark, and Luke), the story is very similar: the Last Supper, the prayer in Gethsemane, Jesus condemned by the Jewish leaders and by Pilate, the insults and torture, the Crucifixion, and the burial. We can always ask ourselves: who do I relate to in this story? Maybe Judas, the one who betrayed Jesus. Or Peter, who was afraid. Maybe John, the faithful disciple. Or the good thief, Simon of Cyrene, or the holy women…

What can we talk about today? There are many things, but let’s focus on a few.

First, “Do this in memory of me.” Every time we celebrate the Eucharist, we’re doing what Jesus asked. It’s a great reason to avoid falling into routine, to prepare ourselves before each Mass, to read the readings at home, for example. If you think about it, Jesus didn’t ask us for many things—but this is one of them.

Second, let’s think about those who want to follow Jesus. During the Last Supper, the disciples start arguing about who is the most important. We need to remember that service is also a way to keep Jesus’ memory alive. He came to serve, not to be served. Being important means being a servant—in whatever role we have in the Church.

Another key point is the importance of prayer. Without prayer, we can’t stay awake or stay close to Jesus. And, of course, it must be real prayer—from the heart—but one that always ends with: “Not my will, but Yours be done.” Just like Mary, His mother.

Without prayer, we can’t overcome temptation. The devil showed up at that dinner and revealed the weak spots in each of the apostles. He won over Judas, and even the other eleven for a while. But not Jesus—because He was always connected to His Father, even when it made Him sweat blood. Since Jesus was tempted, He understands our weakness. And since He overcame it, we can live with hope.

This Gospel also clearly rejects violence. All the evangelists agree—Jesus says no to violence. One evil leads to another. And Luke, the evangelist of mercy, adds something special that the others don’t: Jesus heals the man who was hurt right away. If someone truly follows Jesus, they not only avoid hurting others—they’re ready to heal, even those who keep hurting them. Christians don’t have enemies. We might have opponents, but we must love every person. Weapons are for those with enemies—not for those who want to turn their enemies into brothers.

One last thing. Think about Jesus’ look at Peter, when Peter denies Him. And think about Jesus’ words to the good thief. That look says everything—it understands Peter and knows he still loves Jesus, despite what he did. Luke wants all Christians to know how we should deal with our own weaknesses, and those of others—not with anger or blame, but with Jesus’ gaze. A gaze that gives faith, that brings hope. Eyes that can see love, even in the middle of serious mistakes. That’s the gaze we need to have.

As for the good thief—Jesus shows us it’s never too late to take responsibility, to admit our sins, and to say sorry. That can happen when we feel Jesus next to us, even—or especially—in the worst moments. Jesus’ death was so powerful that even the soldiers said, “This man was truly just.” He died for everyone. And even today, Jesus continues to give His life for us. Around the world, many “Christs” still suffer their own passion. Let’s be aware of this reality, especially during this Holy Week that starts today.

Your brother in faith,