Are we going to accept this great offering of mercy and love? – The Archbishop on Palm Sunday

Homily by Archbishop Charles J. Scicluna

St John’s Co-Cathedral, Valletta
25th March 2018

The account of the passion according to Saint Mark that has just been proclaimed, repeats several times the idea, the concept and the verb of handing over: Judas tries to find the right time to hand over Jesus to the high priest; Pilate, to appease the mob, hands over Jesus for crucifixion; the Lord himself hands himself over to the Father; Joseph of Arimathea asks Pilate to hand over the body of Jesus for burial.

Behind all these human agents: Judas, Pilate, the mob, the high priests, there also lies the will of the Father to hand over his Son as an offering in sacrifice. Jesus called this will of the Father ‘the cup’, the cup that you want me to drink, and pleads to the Father to remove this cup from him: “yet, not what I want but what you want” (Mk 14,36).

In this great mystery of self-oblation, there also lies the great mystery of mercy and love. Are we going to receive this self-offering? The Lord is handing himself over to us, are we ready to receive this tremendous gift?

✠ Charles J. Scicluna
     Archbishop of Malta

All photos are available on the website of the Official Photos of the Church in Malta.

Photos: Curia Communications Office – Ian Noel Pace