EMOKHARE Paul Anthony

 

The parish priest of the Divine Mercy Catholic Church, Monatan has urged the worshipping community of the need to make this holy week a time to allow for reconciliation and not to allow anger in any way disrupt their forty days of lent, stressing that members should be courteous to each other. “Let us be courteous to one another and let the spirit of God dwell and continue to flow in our life"

 

Fr. Akee said Palm Sunday marks the beginning of Holy Week, this week is said to be called Holy Week because in this week the sacrament of the Holy Eucharist, Holy Order were instituted by Christ, in this week also we are redeemed from the slavery of sin and assured of resurrection.

 

He also reminded the congregation that from the narrative of the Lord’s passion in Matthew gospel for the day, Jesus was denied, betrayed, falsely accused, and he even cried. All these are testaments that Jesus is indeed like us in all things but sin, he said.

 

Fr Joachim added that yet the sinless nature of Jesus Christ didn’t stop the crowd to ask for the release of Barabbas who is guilty, over him who is innocent, this he noted has only one message or meaning, that we who stand guilty before God and deserving death have been released." His death is for our sake that through it we can be united with God."

The parish priest stated that Jesus shared in our human nature so as to share in His divine nature. “He feels and shares in our pains inviting us to follow him so we can feel and share in his glory, the divine became human that the human can become divine, so whatever we are going through, it’s nothing compared to the glory to come,” he concluded.

He reminded the congregation that the palm branch is a symbol of victory and peace.