Palm Sunday
A few thoughts for this Holy Week
On Palm Sunday every year, we have what is called a Processional Gospel. Mass begins with Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem. The Biblical scholar, Brant Pitre, highlights that the words and actions of the people welcoming Jesus into Jerusalem are taken from Old Testament writings, namely, Psalm 118, which reads:
“Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.” This, with the greeting, “Hosanna to the Son of David,” show that the people are welcoming their King and Messiah to Jerusalem. The King spoken of in Psalm 118 is a King and priest, entering Jerusalem to go up to the altar. We know that entry is preceded by branches of palms and olive trees, again as the Psalm reads: “Join in procession with leafy branches up to the horns of the altar.”
Of course, the King that the people expected and welcomed outside of Jerusalem was not the King who entered Jerusalem that day. And the altar that this King went up to was not the altar in the sanctuary of the Temple…it was the altar of the Cross. The victory He won was not simply over Roman oppression or faithless leaders. Jesus’ victory was a victory for all times and places, for all injustice and sin.
We remember this at every Mass. There is a procession to the altar…to the altar of the Cross that we celebrate and re-present the Passion, Death, and Victory of Jesus in every Mass we celebrate. Jesus is often much more than we expect, much more than we can imagine. As we enter this Holy Week, we can be open and welcoming to that more…
Another beautiful thought from a search about the history of the Stations of the Cross. Tradition holds that the Blessed Virgin Mary visited daily the scenes of our Lord’s Passion, some of which would eventually be set as the Via Crucis. St. Jerome mentions many pilgrims making their way to particular stations on the path of Christ to Calvary in the Fourth century. In the Fifth century, as the Faith spread, churches sought to reproduce pilgrim sites for the faithful to pray and increase devotions…the Stations were part of that effort.
What a beautiful thought as we enter Holy Week…Our Blessed Mother retracing the steps of her Son on His way of Passion and Death for our redemption. Remembering His great love and sacrifice. It was, of course, her passion as well…
-Fr. Chris
