THE ROMAN CATHOLIC CHURCH Her Doctrine and Morals Palm Sunday 1 April 2012

The Sunday Sermon

Dear Friends,

We begin today on a joyful note, but end on a very sorrowful one. We see Christ entering Jerusalem as King. He is welcomed by the masses of people, then just a short while later we see these same people crying out for Jesus’ blood. Jesus our King is abandoned by everyone except His mother, one apostle and a few women.

God has not changed, it is the attitude and thinking of the men that has changed. We see this same thing repeated over and over again even in our own days. When all is well and good we are ready and eager to sing the praises of God who is the giver of all that is good. As soon as He sends us something that does not appeal to us we are all too ready to forsake Him and look elsewhere for a new god that will serve and obey us better. In our sins we cry out even today “Away with Him. Crucify Him! Crucify Him!”

How fickle, cold and callous we men are! At the slightest temptation we are ready to reject Jesus and follow the devils. Whether we wish to admit it or not, it is the truth: if we are not with Jesus we are with the devils. There is not much leeway in-between the two extremes. Jesus has made it very clear, either we are with Him or we are against Him. Each mortal sin is leaving Christ and turning to devils.

The blessed palm that we hold in our hands today is a simple physical reminder of our inconsistency. It is not only the Jews who honored Him as King and then demanded His death, we likewise are guilty of the same rebellion with each and every mortal sin committed.

We have been nothing more than “fair-weather friends.” As soon as there are hardships, or crosses we turn away from Christ. We turn to the devils, the world and our own passions, knowing full well that they are all liars and deceivers; yet, we choose to follow them and believe their lies. We know that God is all good, just and holy, yet we choose to reject Him.

Even as so many sinners contemplate Jesus suffering on the cross, they still reject Him. We foolish mortals are looking for heaven here and now and when Jesus only offers us eternal happiness in Heaven we reject Him. The devils, the world, and our passions promise us heaven here and now and an eternity in Hell. This seems more appealing to us because of our foolish self-centered childishness. What is amazing is that every sinner knows from his own personal experience that the devils, the world, and his passions are all liars. Every time they promised happiness here and now they only delivered misery, shame, and suffering here and now. Our faith likewise tells us that following these deceivers here on earth will eventually lead us to an eternal suffering in Hell. Our sins far from bringing us happiness rather cause us suffering now and in eternity.

God on the other hand, offers us a cross and suffering here and now: “Take up your cross daily and come follow Me” and promises that if we do this we will find eternal happiness later in heaven.

We know that God is truthful, yet we do not believe and trust because we keep returning to sin as the dog returns to its vomit.

With this blessed palm in our hands let us consider our own fickleness. Let us take it home and place it in a most prominent location in our homes that we may always look upon it and be reminded that we have acclaimed Jesus to be our one and only true King. We have professed to follow only Him. Each time that we have the misfortune to sin, let us look upon this palm again and with shame and true regret remind ourselves that we too have betrayed our King and our God. Let us not put off any longer our repentance but seek to amend our lives immediately let us return to Jesus (He is always eager to receive us.) truly repentant in the sacrament of Penance and die to ourselves with Him as He dies for us. In this manner we can truly hope to be raised up with Him on the last day.