Palm Sunday 2026

In the midst of our daily struggles with work, family, and church community, we may ask ourselves, “What is my goal in life?”  We are likely to answer, “Salvation from these burdens so that I might flourish as a human being.”

In the gospels most people look for a political Messiah to drive away their Roman oppressors who made their lives miserable. The Messiah would gather an army to return Israel to the glory days of yore. But this is hardly what we need now.  And yet, we, too, often seek salvation in material things. We say, “If only I had more income, …; if only I lived in California, …; if only I had a BMW, my life would be perfect!”

God, however, knows better. He has given us a more efficacious salvation than we have ever imagined. Salvation is not found in money, status, or constant pleasure. Salvation is union with God who so intimately cares about us that He sent His Son to the world to be crucified on our behalf.

In today’s reading from the Letter to the Philippians, St. Paul tells us that Christ emptied himself twice. First, he shed his divine state to live among us mortals.  Then, he left all dignity behind to die on a cross meant for capital offenders. We arrive at union with God when we shed ourselves of the illusions of salvation in material things.  We unite ourselves with Him when we embrace, like Jesus, selfless love.