This Sunday, April 5th, is Palm Sunday, a prelude to Holy Week. A day commemorating Christ’s entrance into Jerusalem, where crowds rejoiced and greeted Him with waving palm branches. Shortly thereafter, His journey to the cross began. Who would’ve thunk it? Certainly not those palm wavers on that day. Those followers who witnessed the events that transpired that week 2000 years ago experienced quite the roller coaster ride – – joy, anticipation, love, fear, sadness, anger, disgust, awe, wonder. And at the end of that week, some were left confused and scattered. But others were left with the knowledge and the hope His crucifixion and resurrection embodied: forgiveness and eternal life. Thankfully, that group of others bravely shared the extraordinary experiences they lived through that week, and incessantly preached its greatest fruit, and so now we too can benefit from that knowledge of forgiveness and hope of eternal life.
At this Sunday’s Mass we will receive the blessed palms representative of this day that begins this year’s holiest week of all. As faithful people, we are asked to take the palm home and display it as a reminder that Christ enters into our lives daily, and therefore, we should rejoice. I invite you to partake of this week’s events and ceremonies at your parish of choice. It can be quite an inspiring, fulfilling, and emotional encounter.
For instance, the most touching celebration of the week for me occurs on Holy Thursday, which it’s said to be the most complex and profound of the week’s observances. It’s the night on which Jesus celebrated the Last Supper with His disciples, so at this Mass we celebrate Christ’s institution of the Eucharist. A procession takes place adoring the Blessed Sacrament, which remains ‘entombed’ until the communion service on Good Friday. It is a very solemn and moving observance. I personally feel a special connection with the Holy Thursday Mass because in our parish, for many years, my father sat in as one of the apostles during our live representation of Christ’s washing of the feet. After my dad’s death, my hubby proudly took his place in this short but very symbolic act, and so this Mass continues to hold a special place in my heart.
And so to those of you who share in my faith and observe this holiest of weeks, I wish you a blessed one, full of enlightenment, peace, hope and love. To those of you who don’t, I wish you a blessed one, full of enlightenment, peace, hope and love. : )
God bless.
The biblical account of Palm
Sunday can be found in
Matthew 21:1-11; Mark 11:1-11;
Luke 19:28-44; and John 12:12-19.