Palm Sunday

My dear Friends in Christ,

Palm Sunday commemorates the entrance of Christ into Jerusalem, when palm branches were placed in His path, before His arrest on Holy Thursday and His crucifixion on Good Friday. It thus marks the beginning of Holy Week, the final week of Lent. Jesus was on His way to Jerusalem with His disciples to celebrate Passover. When they reached the Mount of Olives, He sent two of the disciples to retrieve a donkey colt for Him to ride. He instructed them to untie it, and if anyone asked them why they were doing so, to tell them that the Master has need of it. They did as He instructed, and brought the colt to Him, laying their cloaks over it for Him to sit on it. As He rode into the city, people spread their cloaks and palm branches in the road, proclaiming, “Hosanna! Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord!” The spectacle attracted the attention of those in the city, and many wondered who He was. The palm branch is a symbol of victory, triumph, peace, and eternal life, originating in the ancient Near East and the Mediterranean world. The lesson of Palm Sunday is that anyone can have their fortunes, and their lives, change dramatically overnight. But, the lesson of Easter is that God remembers that and keeps His promise to us, always. As we enter into Holy Week, we pray to the Lord who is exulted above all others and so worthy of our praise. We look to rejoice in the glory of the Resurrection.

May God bless you all,

Father John