Palm Sunday marks the beginning of Holy Week, the most important time of our liturgical year. This Sunday is also known as Passion Sunday. We dedicate the whole week to reflecting on the suffering and death of our Lord Jesus. We have begun this special journey on Ash Wednesday, then continue walking with Jesus in prayer and fasting. We have been meditating on the various dimensions of our Christian life especially the meaning of our sufferings.
The ultimate purpose of Lent is to prepare us to experience the joy of Easter. As we reflect on the Passion of Christ, we try to understand the significance of our suffering also. If the life of Jesus had ended on the cross, we would not be Christians today. He rose from the dead elevating our status to a new level. We also hope and pray that we will be able to triumph over our sufferings. Sometimes we also pray like Jesus: “Father, if you are willing, take this cup away from me; still, not my will but yours be done.” (Luke 22:42). At the same time, no matter what happens in our life, we do the will of God.
On Palm Sunday, Jesus entered Jerusalem riding on a donkey, signifying that he would be a king of peace. The donkey symbolizes his peaceful coming; Jesus is coming to seek and save the lost. He is also the sacrificial lamb who will atone for our sins. St. Luke writes about Jesus weeping over Jerusalem. He predicts the incoming destruction of the city and the Temple. A king, normally came to the city riding on a horse, showing his power. Here donkey is also a symbol of simplicity and peace. In ancient times people used a donkey to carry heavy objects from one place to another. It is a peaceful animal that doesn’t get the credit it deserves. But on that Palm Sunday, this donkey was fortunate enough to carry Jesus. It also shows that Jesus is not like other kings exerting his power to rule over. Instead, he lays down his life to give life.
This week, on Holy Thursday, we solemnly commemorate the institution of the Eucharist and the establishment of the Sacrament of Holy Orders. On this day Jesus constituted the “New Covenant” for us in the form of the Eucharist. After breaking the bread with his disciples Jesus broke his own body on the cross on Good Friday. His crucifixion tells us that Jesus has nothing more to give than his life for each one of us.
These days are a time of intense prayer and meditation, especially on the Paschal Mystery of Christ. We should spend more time in prayer, reading the Bible (especially the passages that speak about the suffering of Christ), and also find time to help other people.
It is a reminder for Christians to welcome Jesus into their hearts and to be willing to follow him. The palms are either kept and used as a reminder of Christ’s victory throughout the year or are burned and used as the ashes for next year’s Ash Wednesday service.
We should not forget that Jesus is also in agony when we struggle with sadness, fear, and anguish. We could not do anything for the agonizing Jesus on the cross since we were not present there, but we can do something for Jesus who agonizes today among the people around us. We join today with all those who suffer and thus make our Holy Week observance more meaningful.
Fr. Mathew Charthkuzhiyil.