Palm Sunday
Psalm
22, verse 24:
You
who fear the LORD, give praise! All descendants of Jacob, give honor;
show reverence, all descendants of Israel!
This
verse was fulfilled on Palm Sunday, which we reflect on Christ’s triumphant
entrance into Jerusalem. Let us honor and praise our Lord Jesus Christ everyday
as we rise by saying Shema Yisrael which is the same prayer the Christ
most likely prayed every morning Himself and is still prayed by pious Jews
today.
Hear,
O Israel: The Lord our God, the Lord is one; and you shall love the Lord your
God with all your Heart, and with all your soul, and with your entire mind, and
with all your strength.
My question
is how does, one Love the Lord with all their heart, soul, mind and strength.
Perhaps
to understand this better we should ask ourselves:
1.
What
are the desires of our heart?
2.
Whose
flag are we following?
3.
What
consumes our mind?
4.
How
do we use our gifts?
God
created us to be a priestly people and the world was designed to be our temple.
We will never find true happiness except through God because He hardwired us
for the priesthood. We are called to make an offering of our life; our dreams
& desires, our total loyalty to Him and His church, our thoughts and the
gifts of mind and body He has given us.
Today reflect on how the Rosary meditations show us
how Mary, Jesus and the Holy Spirit demonstrate for us how to love God with our
whole Heart, Mind, Soul and Strength via the Luminous Mysteries (heart); Joyful
Mysteries (Mind); Glorious Mysteries (Soul) and the Sorrowful Mysteries
(Strength).
Christ's
triumphant entrance into Jerusalem and the account of His Passion according to
St. Matthew.
Why
is this day called Palm Sunday?
1.
In memory of the triumphant entry of Jesus into Jerusalem, when He was received
by the devout people with palms.
2.
Because the Church to-day blesses palms, with which a solemn procession is
held.
Why
are the palms blessed?
1.
To protect in body and soul those who carry them with devotion.
2.
To bless the dwellings into which the palms are brought.
3.
To bring before us how God, by the entrance into Jerusalem with palms, has
represented the victory of Jesus over the prince of darkness.
In the
Introit of to-day s Mass the Church reminds us of the sufferings of Our
Saviour, and says: O Lord, remove not Thy help to a distance from me, look
towards my defence, save me from the lion’s mouth, and my lowness from the horn
of the unicorn. O God, rny God, look upon me; why hast Thou for saken me? far
from my salvation are the words of my sin.
(Ps. xxi.)
Prayer. O almighty and eternal God, Who
wouldst have Our Saviour take flesh and undergo the cross, for man to imitate
the example of His humility, grant, we beseech Thee, that we may both deserve
the instruction of His patience and the fellowship of His resurrection.
EPISTLE. Phil. ii.
5-11.
Brethren: Let
this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus : Who being in the form of
God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: but emptied Himself, taking
the form of a servant, being made in the likeness of men, and in habit found as
a man. He humbled Himself, becoming obedient unto death, even to the death of
the cross. For which cause God also hath exalted Him, and hath given Him a name
which is above all names: that in the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of
those that are in heaven, on earth, and under the earth. And that every tongue
should confess that the Lord Jesus Christ is in the glory of God the Father.
Instead of the
gospel the passion of Our Lord, taken from the Gospel of St. Matthew (xxvi., xxvii.),
is read during the Mass. At the words, Bowing His head, He gave up the ghost,
the priest and congregation kneel and meditate for a short time on the
mysterious event of the accomplishment of our redemption. At the blessing of
the palms the following gospel is said:
GOSPEL. Matt. xxi.
1-9.
At that time:
When Jesus drew nigh to Jerusalem, and was come to Bethphage, unto Mount
Olivet: then He sent two disciples, saying to them: Go ye into the village that
is over against you, and immediately ye shall find an ass tied, and a colt with
her: loose them, and bring them to Me: and if any man shall say anything to
you, say ye that the Lord hath need of them, and forthwith he will let them go.
Now all this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the
prophet, saying: Tell ye the daughter of Sion, Behold thy King cometh to thee,
meek, and sitting upon an ass, and a colt, the foal of her that is used to the
yoke. And the disciples going, did as Jesus commanded them. And they brought
the ass and the colt, and laid their garments upon them, and made Him sit
thereon. And a very great multitude spread their garments in the way: and
others cut boughs from the trees, and strewed them in tho way: and the
multitudes that went before, and that followed, cried, saying : Hosanna to the
Son of David ! blessed is He that cometh in the name of the Lord.
Why did Jesus enter with so much solemnity into
Jerusalem? To
present Himself as the promised Messias and King of the Jews, whose triumphant
entry into Jerusalem the prophet Zachary had predicted.
Why did the people go to meet Jesus with palms in
their hands? It
was done by a divine inspiration, to show that Jesus, as the victor over death,
Satan, and hell, would gain for us the palm of peace with God, our neighbor,
and ourselves, and that He would open to us the heavenly Jerusalem. And yet
these same people, five days later, desired His death, crying out, Crucify Him!
Learn, therefore, to confide in God alone, and not in man; for he who is with
you to-day may be against you tomorrow. Be cautious, therefore, and watchful,
lest, imitating the changeableness of the people, you at Easter receive your
Saviour with joy, and then after a little by new sins crucify Him again (Heb.
vi. 6).
THE PASSION OF OUR
LORD JESUS CHRIST
According to Matt.
xxvi. and xxvii.
At that time
Jesus said to His disciples: You know that after two days shall be the Pasch,
and the Son of man shall be delivered up to be crucified. Then were gathered
together the chief priests and ancients of the people into the court of the
high priest, who was called Caiphas: and they consulted together, that by
subtilty they might apprehend Jesus and put Him to death. But they said: Not on
the festival-day, lest perhaps there should be a tumult among the people. And
when Jesus was in Bethania, in the house of Simon the leper, there came to Him
a woman having an alabaster box of precious ointment, and poured it on His head
as He was at table. And the disciples seeing it, had indignation, saying: To
what purpose is this waste? for this might have been sold for much, and given
to the poor. And Jesus, knowing it, said to them: Why do you trouble this
woman?
For she hath
wrought a good work upon Me. For the poor you have always with you: but Me you
have not always. For she, in pouring this ointment upon My body, hath done it
for My burial. Amen I say to you, wheresoever this gospel shall be preached in
the whole world, that also which she hath done shall be told for a memory of
her. Then went one of the twelve, who was called Judas Iscariot, to the chief priests.
And said to them: What will you give me, and I will deliver Him unto you?
But they
appointed him thirty pieces of silver. And from thenceforth he sought
opportunity to betray Him. And on the first day of the Azymes the disciples
came to Jesus, saying: Where wilt Thou that we prepare for Thee to eat the
Pasch?
But Jesus said:
Go ye into the city to a certain man, and say to him: The Master saith: My time
is near at hand, with thee I make the Pasch with My disciples. And the
disciples did as Jesus appointed to them, and they prepared the Pasch. But when
it was evening, He sat down with His twelve disciples. And whilst they were
eating, He said: Amen I say to you, that one of you is about to betray Me. And they
being very much troubled, began everyone to say: Is it I, Lord?
But He is
answering, said: He that dippeth his hand with Me in the dish, he shall betray
Me. The Son of man indeed goeth, as it is written of Him: but wo to that man by
whom the Son of man shall be betrayed: it were better for him if that man had
not been born. And Judas that betrayed Him, answering, said: Is it I, Rabbi?
He saith to him:
Thou hast said it. And whilst they were at supper, Jesus took bread, and
blessed, and broke: and gave to His disciples, and said: Take ye and eat this
is My body. And taking the chalice He gave thanks: and gave to them, saying:
Drink ye all of this. For this is My blood of the New Testament, which shall be
shed for many unto remission of sins. And I say to you I will not drink from
henceforth of this fruit of the vine, until that day when I shall drink it with
you in the kingdom of My Father. And a hymn being said, they went out unto
Mount Olivet. Then Jesus saith to them: All you shall be scandalized in Me this
night. For it is written I will strike the shepherd, and the sheep of the flock
shall be dispersed. But after I shall be risen again, I will go before you into
Galilee. And Peter answering, said to Him: Although all shall be scandalized in
Thee, I will never be scandalized. Jesus said to him: Amen I say to thee, that
in this night before the cock crow, thou wilt deny Me thrice. Peter saith to Him:
Yea, though I should die with Thee, I will not deny Thee. And in like manner
said all the disciples. Then Jesus came with them into a country place which is
called Gethsemani, and He said to His disciples: Sit you here, till I go yonder
and pray. And taking with Him Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, He began to
grow sorrowful and to be sad. Then He saith to them: My soul is sorrowful even
unto death: stay you here and watch with Me. And going a little further, He
fell upon His face, praying and saying: My Father, if it be possible, let this
chalice pass from Me. Nevertheless, not as I will, but as Thou wilt. And He
cometh to His disciples, and findeth them asleep, and He saith to Peter: What!
could you not watch one hour with Me?
Watch ye, and
pray that ye enter not into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing, but the
flesh weak. Again, the second time He went and prayed, saying: My Father, if
this chalice may not pass away, but I must drink it. Thy will be done. And He
cometh again, and findeth them sleeping for their eyes were heavy. And leaving
them, He went again: and He prayed the third time, saying the self same word.
Then He cometh to His disciples and saith to them: Sleep ye now and take your rest:
behold the hour is at hand, and the Son of man shall be betrayed into the hands
of sinners. Rise, let us go behold he is at hand that will betray Me. As He yet
spoke, behold Judas, one of the twelve, came, and with him a great multitude
with swords and clubs, sent from the chief priests and the ancients of the
people. And he that betrayed Him gave them a sign, saying: Whomsoever I shall
kiss, that is He, hold Him fast. And forthwith coming to Jesus, he said: Hail,
Rabbi. And he kissed Him. And Jesus said to him: Friend, whereto art thou come?
Then they came up
and laid hands on Jesus, and held Him. And behold one of them that were with
Jesus, stretching forth his hand, drew out his sword, and striking the servant
of the high priest, cut off his ear. Then Jesus saith to him: Put up again thy
sword into its place: for all that take the sword shall perish with the sword.
Thinkest thou that I cannot ask My Father, and He will give Me presently more
than twelve legions of angels? How then shall the Scriptures be fulfilled, that
so it must be done?
In that same hour
Jesus said to the multitude: You are come out as it were to a robber with
swords and clubs to apprehend Me. I sat daily with you teaching in the Temple,
and you laid not hands on Me. Now all this was done, that the Scriptures of the
prophets might be fulfilled. Then the disciples all leaving Him, fled. But they
holding Jesus led Him to Caiphas the high priest, where the scribes and the
ancients were assembled. And Peter followed Him afar off, even to the court of
the high priest. And going in he sat with the servants, that he might see the
end. And the chief priests and the whole council sought false witness against
Jesus that they might put Him to death: and they found not, whereas many false
witnesses had come in. And last of all there came two false witnesses, and they
said: This man saith, I am able to destroy the temple of God, and after three
days to rebuild it. And the high priest rising up, said to Him: Answereth Thou
nothing to the things which these witness against Thee?
But Jesus held
His peace. And the high priest said to Him: I adjure Thee by the living God,
that Thou tell us if Thou be the Christ the Son of God. Jesus saith to him:
Thou hast said it; nevertheless, I say to you, hereafter you shall see the Son
of man sitting on the right hand of the power of God, and coming in the clouds
of heaven. Then the high priest rent his garments, saying: He hath blasphemed:
what further need have we of witnesses? Behold, now you have heard the blasphemy:
what think you?
But they answering,
said: He is guilty of death. Then did they spit in His face, and buffeted Him,
and others struck His face with the palms of their hands, saying: Prophesy unto
us, O Christ, who is he that struck Thee?
But Peter sat
without in the court: and there came to him a servant maid, saying: Thou also
wast with Jesus the Galilean. But he denied before them all, saying I know not
what thou sayest. And as he went out of the gate another maid saw him, and she
sayeth to them that were there: This man also was with Jesus of Nazareth. And again,
he denied with an oath: That I know not the man. And after a little while they
came that stood by, and said to Peter: Surely, thou also art one of them: for
even thy speech doth discover thee. Then he began to curse and to swear that he
knew not the man. And immediately the cock crew. And Peter remembered the word
of Jesus which He had said: Before the cock crow, thou wilt deny Me thrice. And
going forth he wept bitterly. And when morning was come, all the chief priests
and ancients of the people took counsel against Jesus, that they might put Him
to death. And they brought Him bound and delivered Him to Pontius Pilate the
governor. Then Judas who betrayed Him, seeing that He was condemned, repenting
himself, brought back the thirty pieces of silver to the chief priests and
ancients, saying: I have sinned in betraying innocent blood. But they said:
What is that to us? look thou to it. And casting down the pieces of silver in
the temple he departed: and went and hanged himself with a halter. But the
chief priests having taken the pieces of silver, said: It is not lawful to put
them into the corbona, because it is the price of blood. And after they had
consulted together, they bought with them the potter s field to be a burying-
place for strangers. For this cause that field was called Haceldama, that is,
the field of blood, even to this day. Then was fulfilled that which was spoken
by Jeremias the prophet, saying: And they took the thirty pieces of silver, the
price of Him that was prized, Whom they prized of the children of Israel: and
they gave them unto the potter s field, as the Lord appointed to me. And Jesus
stood before the governor, and the governor asked Him, saying: Art Thou the
King of the Jews?
Jesus saith to him:
Thou sayest it. And when He was accused by the chief priests and ancients, He
answered nothing. Then Pilate saith to Him: Dost not Thou hear how great
testimonies they allege against Thee?
And He answered
him to never a word: so that the governor wondered exceedingly. Now upon the
solemn day the governor was accustomed to release to the people one prisoner,
whom they would; and he had then a notorious prisoner that was called Barabbas.
They therefore being gathered together, Pilate said: Whom will you that I
release to you, Barabbas or Jesus that is called Christ?
For he knew that
for envy they had delivered Him. And as he was sitting in the place of judgment
his wife sent to him, saying: Have thou nothing to do with that just man; for I
have suffered many things this day in a dream be cause of Him. But the chief
priests and ancients persuaded the people that they should ask Barabbas, and
make Jesus away. And the governor answering said to them: Whether will you of
the two to be released unto you? But they said, Barabbas. Pilate saith to them:
What shall I do then with Jesus that is called Christ? They say all: Let Him be
crucified. The governor said to them: Why, what evil hath He done?
But they cried
out the more, saying: Let Him be crucified. And Pilate seeing that he prevailed
nothing, but that rather a tumult was made taking water, washed his hands
before the people, saying I am innocent of the blood of this just man; look you
to it. And the whole people answering, said: His blood be upon us and upon our
children. Then he released to them Barabbas: and having scourged Jesus,
delivered Him unto them to be crucified. Then the soldiers of the governor
taking Jesus into the hall, gathered together unto Him the whole band: and
stripping Him, they put a scarlet cloak about Him. And platting a crown of
thorns, they put it upon His head, and a reed in His right hand. And bowing the
knee before Him, they mocked Him, saying: Hail King of the Jews. And spitting
upon Him, they took the reed and struck His head. And after they had mocked Him,
they took off the cloak from Him, and put on Him His own garments, and led Him
away to crucify Him. And going out they found a man of Gyrene, named Simon: him
they forced to take up His cross. And they came to the place that is called
Golgotha, which is the place of Calvary. And they gave Him wine to drink
mingled with gall. And when He had tasted, He would not drink. And after they
had crucified Him, they divided His garments, casting lots: that it might be
fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, saying: They divided My garments
among them, and upon My vesture they cast lots. And they sat and watched Him.
And they put over His head His cause, written: THIS is JESUS THE KING OF THE
JEWS. Then were crucified with Him two thieves: one on the right hand, and one
on the left. And they that passed by blasphemed Him, wagging their heads, and saying:
Yah, Thou that destroyest the temple of God, and in three days dost rebuild it:
save Thy own self: if Thou be the Son of God, come down from the cross. In like
manner also the chief priests with the scribes and ancients mocking, said: He
saved others, Himself He can not save: if He be the King of Israel, let Him now
come down from the cross, and we will believe Him. He trusted in God: let Him
now deliver Him if He will have Him: for He said I am the Son of God. And the
self-same thing the thieves also, that were crucified with Him, reproached Him
with. Now from the sixth hour there was darkness over the whole earth, until
the ninth hour. And about the ninth hour Jesus cried with a loud voice, saying:
Eli, Eli, lamina sabacthaiii? that is, My God, My God, why hast Thou forsaken
Me?
And some that
stood there and heard, said: This man calleth Elias. And immediately one of
them running took a sponge, and filled it with vinegar, and put it on a reed,
and gave Him to drink. And the others said: Let be, let us see whether Elias
will come to deliver Him. And Jesus again crying with a loud voice, yielded up
the ghost. And behold the veil of the temple was rent in two from the top even
to the bottom; and the earth quaked, and the rocks were rent. And the graves
were opened: and many bodies of the saints that had slept, arose, and coming
out of the tombs after His resurrection, came into the holy city, and appeared
unto many. Now the centurion, and they that were with him watching Jesus,
having seen the earthquake and the things that were done, were sore afraid,
saying: Indeed, this was the Son of God. And there were many women afar off,
who had followed Jesus from Galilee, ministering unto Him: among whom was Mary
Magdalene, and Mary the mother of James and Joseph, and the mother of the sons
of Zebedee. And when it was evening, there came a certain rich man of
Arimathea, named Joseph; who also himself was a disciple of Jesus; he went to
Pilate and asked the body of Jesus. Then Pilate commanded that the body should
be delivered. And Joseph taking the body, wrapped it up in a clean linen cloth;
and laid it in his own new monument, which he had hewed out in a rock. And he
rolled a great stone to the door of the monument and went his way. And there
was there Mary Magdalene, and the other Mary sitting over against the
sepulchre. And the next day, which followed the day of preparation, the chief
priests and Pharisees came together to Pilate, saying: Sir, we have remembered
that that seducer said, while He was yet alive: After three days I will rise
again. Command therefore the sepulchre to be guarded until the third day: lest
perhaps His disciples come and steal Him away, and say to the people: He is
risen from the dead: and the last error shall be worse than the first. Pilate
said to them: You have a guard: go guard it as you know. And they departing,
made the sepulchre sure, sealing the stone, and setting guards.
Things to
Do:[2]
- The palms
distributed at Mass are blessed, so are sacramentals. Read Blessed Palms
in the Home.
- Read Pope Francis'
Homily
for Palm Sunday 2014. Also read the History of
Palm Sunday
by Fr. Francis X. Weiser
- This is also
known as "Carling Sunday" after carling peas. Peas porridge
would be an appropriate dish for today. See recipes for suggestions and
history behind this tradition.
- This is also
known as "Fig Sunday" due to the tradition that Christ ate figs
after his entry into Jerusalem. Adding some type of figs to your meal
would be a nice touch.
- Read the
short passages from Directory on
Popular Piety
concerning Holy Week and Palm Sunday.
·
WHY is this week
called holy week? It
is because during this week we celebrate the most important mysteries of our
religion with touching and holy ceremonies.
·
How should we spend this week? According to the
intention of the Church, by meditating on the sufferings and death of Our
Savior, by fasting more strictly, by praying often and devoutly, and leading a
holy life.
·
Sunday: Palm/Passion Sunday Jesus’ triumphal entry
into Jerusalem (Mt 21:1-9; Mk 11:1-10; Lk 19:28-38; Jn12:12-18)
·
Fulfills the prophecies of Isaiah 62:11 and
Zechariah 9:9
·
Jesus weeps over seeing Jerusalem and predicts its
destruction. (Lk 19:39-44)
On the Sunday[5]
before his death,
Jesus began his trip to Jerusalem, knowing that soon he would lay down his life
for our sins. Nearing the village of Bethphage, he sent two of his disciples
ahead, telling them to look for a donkey and its unbroken colt. The
disciples were instructed to untie the animals and bring them to him. Then
Jesus sat on the young donkey and slowly, humbly, made his triumphal entry into Jerusalem, fulfilling the ancient prophecy in
Zechariah 9:9:
"Rejoice greatly, O Daughter of Zion! Shout, Daughter of Jerusalem! See, your king comes to you, righteous and having salvation, gentle and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey."
The crowds welcomed him by waving palm branches in the air and shouting,
"Hosanna to the Son of David!
Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest!" On
Palm Sunday, Jesus and his disciples spent the night in Bethany, a town about
two miles east of Jerusalem. This is where Lazarus,
whom Jesus had raised from the dead, and his two sisters, Mary and Martha lived. They were close friends of Jesus, and
probably hosted Him and His disciples during their final days in Jerusalem.
Daily Devotions
[1]
Goffine’s Divine Instructions, 1896.
[3]Goffine’s
Devout instructions, 1896.
[4]https://www.catholicconvert.com/wp-content/uploads/Timeline-of-Holy-Week.pdf
[5]https://www.thoughtco.com/holy-week-timeline-700618
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