Archbishop Golka’s Palm Sunday Homily Shows Key to Holy Week: Humility

Denver’s newly installed archbishop shares a powerful reflection on humility, service and evangelization at his first Palm Sunday homily as Northern Colorado’s shepherd.

Archbishop James R. Golka blessed palm branches that will be used in procession during Palm Sunday Mass at the Cathedral Basilica of the Immaculate Conception in Denver. (Photo by Dan Petty/Denver Catholic)

As the Church begins Holy Week — the most sacred time of the year, which leads up to Jesus’ suffering, death and resurrection to free humankind from sin and death — newly installed Denver Archbishop James R. Golka had two thoughts for those gathered at his first Palm Sunday Mass at the Cathedral Basilica of the Immaculate Conception in Denver.

Following the “tsunami of love [that] ran through us all],” as his niece described his Installation events the week prior, the new archbishop first emphasized the importance of carrying Christ and sharing him with all those we meet.

Drawing on a children’s story about the donkey that carried Christ into Jerusalem, Archbishop Golka reflected on the donkey’s experience encountering the celebration seemingly directed at it. In the story, the donkey returns the same way the following day, waiting to be recognized, chosen and celebrated again, only to leave disappointed. When it returns home to ask its parents what had changed, they point out that “what matters is the one riding on your back.”

“We are called to be Christ bearers with our life because we are baptized. So we are called to carry Christ into everything we do,” Archbishop Golka noted.

As we engage that process of surrender, trusting Jesus more and more, we come to see that Jesus leads and cares for us far better than we can imagine, he continued.

“And if we do that, we realize that he's the one carrying us in everything that we do; he carries each of us individually and all of us together. What matters is, is he in your life or not? And if he's in our life, he must be all or nothing,” the archbishop said. “This is the week to let him be all. Take one more step in your faith life to invite the Lord to come in and take over your life. My prayer is that Christ will commandeer my life and lead me where he wants me to go. That's what's going to matter. What matters is the one who is on your back, the one who's in your heart, the one who will carry you if you let him.”

Archbishop Golka greets the Allied Carmelites of the Most Holy Trinity after Mass.

Archbishop Golka greets Massgoers outside of the Cathedral following Mass.

Hundreds gathered to pray at the solemn beginning of Holy Week.

Archbishop Golka preached on the key to a truly Holy Week: humility.

Archbishop Golka blesses a woman following Mass at the Cathedral Basilica.

Archbishop Golka processes into Palm Sunday Mass at the Cathedral Basilica.

Archbishop Golka reads the Passion narrative during Palm Sunday Mass.

Archbishop Golka distributes Communion during Palm Sunday Mass.

Archbishop Golka elevates the Eucharist during Palm Sunday Mass at the Cathedral Basilica.

(Photos by Dan Petty/Denver Catholic)

The key to this Christ-bearing call, though, is a deep humility, Archbishop Golka explained, pointing to Palm Sunday’s second reading from St. Paul’s letter to the Philippians (2:6-11). He noted that though the American Dream often lies in upward mobility, the spiritual call is to “downward mobility, utter humility.”

“True power is found in being humble. True power is found in sacrificial love, giving yourself away in love for the other,” he said. “I want that. This week, the church invites us to that.”

Jesus “did not deem equality with God something to be grasped,” but instead “emptied himself,” finding that “God greatly exalted him and bestowed on him the name that is above every name” (Philippians 2:6-7, 9). In like manner, the archbishop said, we are called to let Jesus be king of our own lives and hearts — in humility and service.

“One of the images of this week is Jesus crawling down on his knees to wash our feet. He will humble himself again and again to conquer us in love,” Archbishop Golka concluded. “So this week, walk with the Lord. Let him be a little bit more part of your life. If you're courageous enough, invite him to be everything in your life and then see what he does with you, and then you'll be ready for Easter Saturday and Easter Sunday.”