date: 17.04.2019.
Mons. Hoser was the main celebrant on Palm Sunday at the evening Holy Mass and this is what he said in his homily on that occasion:
''Dear brothers and sisters,
with the Palm Sunday that we celebrate solemnly, the most important and the most solemn week in the whole year is about to begin, leading us to the Resurrection of the Lord.
St. Paul said for that occasion, the words we should memorise: “If Christ has not been raised, then empty is our preaching, empty too our faith.” (1 Cor 15,14)
The Holy Week that is about to being should strengthen our life relationship with the Risen one, renew our connection with the Church of Christ and deepen our relationships with brothers and sisters in Jesus Christ.
We live the Holy Week in the real time. This means we are called, from hour to hour and from day to day to follow Jesus and all He lived prior to His Passion and in His Passion, as well as to meditate on his death on the Cross. At the end, we would become the witnesses of His Resurrection in the immense joy that he is alive.
On Holy Thursday, in the bishop’s cathedral, there will be a Holy Mass with the blessing of the oil and the priests will renew their promises as the priests. That evening we celebrate the Holy Mass of the Supper of the Lord. We are all invited to the liturgy of Holy Friday and Veneration of the Cross, while the Easter Vigil is the highlight of the Holy Week.
The liturgy today prepares us to the final Lenten steps in the surprising contrast. We first take part in the triumph entering of our Lord in Jerusalem. The crowds are rejoicing and shouting to the Lord: Blessed is the king who comes in the name of the Lord. Peace in heaven and glory in the highest! (Lk 19,38)
This same crowds, just a few days afterwards was shouting before Pilate with so much hatred in their hearts: Crucify him, crucify him!
Is this surprising? No! How many Christians were baptised, received the sacraments, fell into the sins and became atheists, liberals and enemies of the Christ and His Church. Crucify him, forbid him and spit on him!
How many times we force crosses on others instead of helping them to carry those crosses? How many times we betray God and our loved ones?
Dear brothers and sisters, the Holy Week is inviting us to weep just like St. Peter did. He swore that he did not know Jesus and then recalled His words to him, that he would deny him three times before the rooster crows. And so Peter came out and wept bitterly. Yes, we all need those tears. Amen.”
