Psalm Reflection: Palm Sunday of the Lord’s Passion - Cycle B

“My God, my God, why have you abandoned me?” - Psalms 22

Feel the rhythm! 

Feel the rhyme! 

Get on up, 

its bobsled time! 

Cool Runnings!

Those words are from the 1993 movie Cool Runnings, one of my favorite movies as a kid. My wife had never seen it so we watched it recently and it provoked such joy and nostalgia in me. If you have never seen it, here is a synopsis from IMDB:

Cool Runnings is about four Jamaican bobsleighers dream of competing in the Winter Olympics, despite never having seen snow. With the help of a disgraced former champion desperate to redeem himself, the Jamaicans set out to become worthy of Olympic selection, and go all out for glory.

It is truly an underdog story, but (*spoiler alert*) it does not end in the typical fashion, where they overcome all odds and win gold medals. In fact, they fail and they lose in an incredibly heartbreaking way, but the loss they experience ultimately leads to a greater victory in the end: not for gold, but for respect and for glory.

As I was praying with the Responsorial Psalm for this Sunday, I thought of the ending of Cool Runnings, and how it reminds me of Jesus.

Jesus quotes this Psalm on the cross as He, though innocent, is enduring unimaginable suffering, torment and ridicule so He can offer Himself as a sacrifice for our sins:

And about three o’clock Jesus cried out in a loud voice, “Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?” which means, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” - Matthew 27:46, cf. Mark 15:34

It seems that Jesus is in total despair. Some scholars try to interpret this as an example of Jesus’ human nature, showing us that He can relate to us in our moments of abandonment and suffering. However, something more is at work here, because Jesus is quoting the beginning of Psalm 22, which every Jewish person there would have known. They would have remembered the prophecies of Psalm 22 and how they are being fulfilled in Jesus:

All who see me scoff at me;

    they mock me with parted lips, they wag their heads:

“He relied on the LORD; let him deliver him,

    let him rescue him, if he loves him.” (verses 8-9)

Indeed, many dogs surround me,

    a pack of evildoers closes in upon me;

They have pierced my hands and my feet;

    I can count all my bones. (verses 17-18)

They divide my garments among them,

    and for my vesture they cast lots.

But you, O LORD, be not far from me;

    O my help, hasten to aid me. (verses 19-20)

They would have also remembered how Psalm 22 ends not in despair or abandonment, but in hope and victory:

All the ends of the earth

will remember and turn to the LORD;

All the families of nations

will bow low before him.

For kingship belongs to the LORD,

the ruler over the nations.

All who sleep in the earth

will bow low before God;

All who have gone down into the dust

will kneel in homage.

And I will live for the LORD;

my descendants will serve you.

The generation to come will be told of the Lord,

that they may proclaim to a people yet unborn

the deliverance you have brought. (verses 28-32)

Despite His unimaginable pain and suffering, Jesus is cries out with the words of Psalm 22 not to provoke doubt, but to show us that He is completing His mission to bring deliverance to all the ends of the earth. In what looked like the biggest, most heartbreaking defeat in human history, Jesus foreshadows the victory and glory that will come after three days when He rises from the dead.

In the midst of our own suffering, doubt, and pain, we are called to turn to the example of Jesus, who is our model of holiness (CCC 459), and remember that we are not alone. The moment we think we have been abandoned by God, we must remember that there is no resurrection without crucifixion, suffering, and death. We do not know often how God is working, but we can trust that He is working. God may not show up in the obvious or expected ways that we hope and pray for, but He will show up, and He is already present with us in the midst of whatever we are going through.

The God who gave up His very life, who cast aside His divinity for humanity, is with you. You are never alone. He has you in the palms of His hands (Isaiah 49:16). He has incredible and glorious plans for your life (Jeremiah 29:11, John 10:10). Even in the midst of our suffering, we can praise the Lord because we know that He can and will use everything for His glory and for our good (Romans 8:28).

Do not despair.

Never give up hope.

Hold fast to Jesus. 

He died and rose for your salvation. 

Cling to Him; He will never let you go.

I am praying for you, please pray for me, and I will see you in the Eucharist.

Matt

This reflection is based on the Responsorial Psalm for this Sunday, March 24th, 2024, which is Palm Sunday of the Lord’s Passion - Cycle B: Psalms 22:8-9, 17-18, 19-20, 23-24.