Welcome to Palm Sunday: A Reflection on Simon of Cyrene
Today, at 10:00 in the morning, St. Peter’s Square was filled with the solemn celebration of Palm Sunday and the Passion of the Lord, presided over by His Eminence Cardinal Leonardo Sandri, Vice Dean of the College of Cardinals.
After the Mass, Pope Francis joined the pilgrims and faithful in the square, extending his well wishes for Palm Sunday and the start of Holy Week. Upon returning to the Basilica, he took a moment to pray by the tomb of the Apostle and in front of the monument dedicated to Benedict XV.
Below, we present the homily prepared by the Holy Father and delivered by Cardinal Sandri, following the proclamation of the Passion of the Lord according to Saint Luke:
Homily
“Blessed is the king who comes in the name of the Lord” (Luke 19:38). With these words, the crowd welcomed Jesus as he entered Jerusalem. As we embark on this Holy Week, we follow in the footsteps of Jesus, both in celebration and in the somber path towards His passion, death, and resurrection.
Amidst the soldiers and weeping women in the crowd, a figure emerges – Simon of Cyrene. Forced to carry the cross, Simon’s actions were ambivalent. While he did not help Jesus out of conviction, he became intimately involved in the Lord’s suffering. The cross became Simon’s burden, a burden he shared with Jesus.
Looking into Simon’s heart, we are reminded of the call to take up our own crosses daily. While we may never know Simon’s true feelings towards Jesus, we are challenged to see the face of Christ in those bearing their own crosses today – the countless Simons of Cyrene in our midst.
As we journey through Holy Week, let us carry our own crosses, both in our hearts and in our actions. Let us be like Simon of Cyrene, extending compassion and mercy to those in need, becoming each other’s support in times of trial. Let us prepare for the Lord’s paschal mystery by embodying the love and compassion of Christ in our daily lives.
