Palm Sunday: From Hosannas to God’s Abandonment to Easter Joy
BY CARDINAL JOSEPH W. TOBIN, C.Ss.R. | April 5, 2020
Palm Sunday
Today’s Readings
Reflexión en Español
The Lord’s triumphant entry into Jerusalem, which we recall each year on Palm Sunday, is extremely short-lived. Less than a week later, Jesus, who was hailed as a conquering hero with shouts of Hosanna! and the waving of palm branches will be mocked, scourged, and crucified. He will suffer the most humiliating rejection imaginable, and he will be betrayed by those closest to him as well as by the religious and political leaders of his day. Dying on the cross, he will cry out, in the words of Psalm 22, “My God, my God, why have you abandoned me?”
Jesus knows what it means to be rejected and to suffer at the hands of injustice and cruelty. He shares in the loneliness and sorrow of people in all times and cultures who are suffering outcasts. As we observe this feast of both joy and sorrow, it’s important for us to be one in mind and heart with all our sisters and brothers who are suffering from the devastating effects of poverty, homelessness, migration, oppression (physical and mental) and all forms of cruelty and inhumanity.
Jesus endured abandonment and humiliation for our sake. He asks us, his disciples, to reach out to all who suffer as he did and to assure them they are not alone or forgotten. As Pope Francis reminds us frequently, we are called to bring Jesus, and his Gospel of joy, to those who hunger and thirst for closeness to God. As we enter into this remembrance of the Lord’s passion, let’s prepare to comfort each other—and especially those most in need—with the anticipation of Easter joy.
The son of the late Joseph W. Tobin and Marie Terese Kerwin, His Eminence, Joseph William Cardinal Tobin was born on May 3, 1952 in Detroit, MI. He is the oldest of 13 children.
Joseph Tobin attended Holy Redeemer Elementary School in Detroit, and then graduated from St. Joseph’s Prep College, Edgerton, WI in 1970. He continued his education at Holy Redeemer College, Waterford, WI, receiving a Bachelor of Arts degree in Philosophy in 1975. From 1977 until 1979, he attended Mount Saint Alphonsus Seminary in Esopus, NY, earning Masters Degrees in Religious Education in 1977 and Divinity in 1979.
In 1973, Joseph Tobin professed vows as a member of the Congregation of the Most Holy Redeemer, the Redemptorists. In 1976, he professed perpetual vows with the Community. In 1978, he was ordained to both the diaconate and the priesthood. Between 1979 and 1984, Father Tobin served as associate pastor of Holy Redeemer Parish, Detroit, where he engaged in both pastoral ministry to the Hispanic community and youth ministry. In 1984, he was named pastor of Holy Redeemer Parish. He also served in a number of diocesan assignments within the Archdiocese of Detroit, including: Episcopal Vicar; member of the Presbyteral Council, and; official in the Metropolitan Tribunal.
From 1990 until 1991, he served as pastor of St. Alphonsus Parish in Chicago, a parish staffed in that Archdiocese by the Redemptorists.
Within the Redemptorist Community, Father Tobin served as a Provincial Consultor from 1984 until 1990, as General Consultor of the Community in Rome from 1991 until 1997, and as Superior General of the Redemptorists in Rome from 1997 until 2009.
On August 9, 2010, His Holiness, Pope Benedict XVI, named Father Tobin to the Roman Curia post of Secretary of the Congregation for Institutes of Consecrated Life and Societies of Apostolic Life (CICLSA), and titular Archbishop of Obba. On October 18, 2012, Pope Benedict appointed him to serve as the Sixth Archbishop of Indianapolis. He was installed as Archbishop of Indianapolis on December 3, 2012. His Holiness, Pope Francis, named him to the College of Cardinals on October 9, 2016. He was created Cardinal on November 19, 2016.
Cardinal Tobin speaks English, Spanish, Italian, French and Portuguese, and reads several other languages. He has participated in five Synods of Bishops, and has been a member of the Canon Law Society of America since 1985.
On November 7, 2016, His Holiness, Pope Francis named Joseph William Cardinal Tobin to serve as the Sixth Archbishop of Newark.
El hijo del fallecido Joseph W. Tobin y Marie Terese Kerwin, su eminencia, el cardenal Joseph William Tobin nació el 3 de mayo de 1952 en Detroit, MI. Es el mayor de 13 hermanos.
Joseph Tobin asistió a la escuela primaria Santo Redentor en Detroit, y luego se graduó de la universidad de San Preparación de José, Edgerton, WI en 1970. Continuó sus estudios en la universidad Santo Redentor, Waterford, WI, recibiendo una licenciatura en Filosofía en 1975. desde 1977 hasta 1979, asistió a Monte San Alfonso Seminario en Esopus, Nueva York, que obtienen títulos de máster en Educación religiosa en 1977 y en 1979 la Divinidad.
En 1973, Joseph Tobin profesó votos como miembro de la Congregación del Santísimo Redentor, los Redentoristas. En 1976, profesó los votos perpetuos con la Comunidad. En 1978, fue ordenado tanto para el diaconado y el sacerdocio. Entre 1979 y 1984, el Padre Tobin sirvió como pastor asociado de Santo Redentor Parish, Detroit, donde se involucró tanto en el ministerio pastoral al ministerio de la comunidad y los jóvenes hispanos. En 1984, fue nombrado párroco de la Parroquia del Santo Redentor. También se desempeñó en una serie de tareas diocesanas dentro de la Arquidiócesis de Detroit, incluyendo: Vicario Episcopal; miembro del Consejo Presbiteral, y; oficial en el Tribunal Metropolitano.
Desde 1990 hasta 1991, se desempeñó como pastor de la parroquia San Alfonso en Chicago, una parroquia atendida en esa Arquidiócesis por los Redentoristas.
Dentro de la comunidad redentorista, Padre Tobin sirvió como Consultor Provincial desde 1984 hasta 1990, como Consultor General de la Comunidad en Roma desde 1991 hasta 1997, y como Superior General de los Redentoristas en Roma desde 1997 hasta 2009.
El 9 de agosto de 2010, Su Santidad, el Papa Benedicto XVI, llamado Padre Tobin al puesto curia romana de Secretario de la Congregación para los Institutos de Vida Consagrada y las Sociedades de Vida Apostólica (CICLSA) y arzobispo titular de Obba. El 18 de octubre de 2012, el Papa Benedicto lo designó para servir como el sexto arzobispo de Indianápolis. Él fue instalado como Arzobispo de Indianápolis, el 3 de diciembre de 2012. Su Santidad, Francisco, lo nombró al Colegio de cardenales, el 9 de octubre de 2016. Fue creado cardenal el 19 de noviembre 2016.
El cardenal Tobin habla Inglés, español, italiano, francés y portugués, y lee varios otros idiomas. Ha participado en cinco Sínodos de los Obispos, y ha sido miembro de la Sociedad de Derecho Canónico de América desde 1985.
El 7 de noviembre de 2016, Su Santidad, Francisco nombrado cardenal Joseph William Tobin para servir como el sexto arzobispo de Newark.
Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord. Hosanna in the highest.
And not only human suffering, but also the creatures with whom we share the world who are used and abused for our selfish wants or “entertainment”.
GREAT message BUT
Please read Psalm 22 before reading further.
Psalm 22 is about the frustration the person finds himself in but it moves into complete trust in the Father and praises the Father …
The writer is implying that even God abandoned Jesus – if not in the essay then certainly in the title.
The truth of the matter is that Jesus could barely talk in his passion but by saying these words the Jews knew he was referring to Psalm 22 and exactly what he meant and that He was actually praising God.
Joe Lynch