A few years ago our campus ministry did something unforgettable.  Not just another speaker or retreat.  We witnessed a single actor – Philip Corso, an alumnus of ours from Montclair State University- bring the entire Gospel of Mark to life.  For two hours, this guy didn’t just tell the story – he became it.  He seamlessly shifted from narrator to characters, sometimes speaking as St. Mark, sometimes as the crowds, sometimes as Jesus Himself.  It was raw, honest and intense.  You could feel the room holding its breath mesmerized by it.

After the performance, Philip stuck around to answer our questions, and someone made a fascinating observation.  The student noticed that when Philip got to the Passion and Death – the darkest, most painful part – he didn’t act it out as Jesus.  He narrated it.  The question was “You played all these different roles… why didn’t you play Jesus during the Passion?” And the actor said something I haven’t been able to shake all these years later.  He talked about the difficulty… the weight of it… and then he said almost offhand: That part is so brutal… really – who would want to be Jesus?

Thank you for taking the time to read this homily for PALM SUNDAY OF THE LORD’S PASSION – MARCH 29, 2026 – Your support means a great deal to me, and I’m deeply grateful for the many who share these messages with their friends, families and social media followers. If you’ve found meaning in these words, I’d be grateful if you’d share them with others who might benefit.

And for those who prefer listening, you can find the audio version on SoundCloud HERE or subscribe to the podcast on iTunes HERE. Your comments, messages, and the way you’ve embraced these homilies continue to inspire me.   Sincerely in Christ -Father Jim

He’s right.  We love the idea of being Jesus when He’s working miracles, healing the sick, feeding thousands with a few scraps of bread and fish.  Imagine having that kind of power.  You’d never have to worry about where your next meal was coming from (or running out of swipes).  Restoring people’s health, their sight, their hearing, their ability to walk?  Bringing people back from the dead?  That’s the stuff of legends.

But who wants to be Jesus
when you’re betrayed by a friend?

Who wants to be Jesus
When people lie about you?

Who wants to be Jesus
When your name gets dragged through the mud?

Who wants to be Jesus
When people who said they had your back vanish?

Who wants to be Jesus
When your left alone, mocked, tortured, abandoned by almost everyone?

Who wants to be Jesus
when it costs that much?
No one.  Nobody wants that.  Nobody wants to be Jesus in those moments.  And yet – if we’re honest… isn’t that exactly where we’ve been?  Maybe not crucified – but betrayed? Yeah… Misunderstood?  Left out?  Talked about?  Ghosted?  Abandoned when you needed someone most?  Who hasn’t known nights where the darkness is so thick, that we wonder if God Himself walked out?

Palm Sunday drags all of that into the light. It forces us to see ourselves not just in Jesus’ suffering, but in everyone else too.  The crowds, the betrayers, the ones who run away.  It’s not just about our pain – it’s also about the pain we cause.  That’s harder to admit, but it’s real.

It’s easy to shout Hosanna when things are good, and just as easy to turn our backs when things get hard.     To go from cheering for Jesus to ignoring Him, or worse, pushing Him away – sometimes without even realizing it, just by choosing our own path, putting walls up, withholding compassion or forgiveness.

That’s the uncomfortable truth of Palm Sunday and Holy Week – we don’t just suffer like Jesus.  At times we cause Jesus to suffer. But here’s the hope:  Jesus isn’t scared off by our mess.  He sees the betrayal, the failure, the moments when we choose ourselves instead of Him – and He goes to the Cross anyway.  Not for the version of you that has it all together, but for the real you.  The one who doubts, the one falls short, the one who’s hurting now.   None of that is stronger than His love for us.  Those nails, those wounds, those thorns, they’re real.  They hurt. But they don’t stop Jesus from loving us, not for a second.

So maybe the question isn’t “Who would want to be Jesus?’   Maybe the real question is “Do I trust Him enough to follow Him there?”  Because to follow Jesus means that Yes – there will be crosses.  Yes there will be moments of pain, rejection and darkness.  But you will never be alone in them.  Because the same Jesus who suffers for you – walks with you.  The same Jesus who is crucified for you – loves you.  And the same Jesus who dies for you – doesn’t stay dead.

This Holy Week,  don’t settle for watching from the sidelines.  Step in.  Bring Jesus your wounds, your sins, your fears, your failures.

Don’t just admire Him.
Follow Him.  All the way to the Cross.
Because the Cross isn’t the end of the story for Jesus, and it’s not for you either.
That’s where His love meets you.
And that’s where new life begins.