On Palm Sunday we remember Jesus’ solemn entry to the city of Jerusalem. Just as Jesus entered the city of Jerusalem with croud, we have also solemnly entered the church here today. We have all carried palm branches or a palm bush. We want to remember and celebrate Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem over 2000 years ago.
Shortly before Jesus’ entry, Jesus drove all the vendors out of the temple and had the temple cleansed. Jesus’ cleansing of the temple and the subsequent ceremonial entry into the city of Jerusalem where the temple is located gives us the message that we should go with Jesus with a pure heart into the holy city and into the holy temple of God.
When we experience the dignified, beautiful Palm Sunday procession every year and hear the Gospel texts about Jesus’ solemn entry into Jerusalem, we might think that Jesus was recognized as King of the Jews by the entire population. But just four days after that rejoicing in Jerusalem, the same people shouted over Jesus the words, “crucify him,” the Roman Emperor is our King. This means that people then and now are unpredictable. Individuals and entire peoples can quickly change their minds and this unpredictability of people can have effects that can even cause catastrophes.
We think we can trust most people. That’s a good thing, because without this feeling of a secure basis of trust in people at work, in society and in the family, we could hardly lead a peaceful, successful life. We also feel pretty confident about our trust in today’s technology. Modern, functioning technology is helpful in many situations and makes our lives easier and more comfortable, but even there we experience limits. We can only find one hundred percent trust when we fully commit to a solid relationship with God.
God did not abandon Jesus. Jesus had complete trust in God and God’s promise. The consummation of Jesus in death and resurrection occurred as a fulfillment of this trust and as a sacrifice for us. That is why we can fully trust in God and we can be sure that God’s word and his promises will always be our last hope and an everlasting support; This is reported by many people who have had to go through severe crisis situations. That is why prayer has great meaning and real meaning.
When Jesus entered the city of Jerusalem, he sat on the back of a donkey. Many people accompanied Jesus. The people greeted him enthusiastically. Jesus could have entered the city on a horse. The horse was a symbol of victory. Kings rode on horseback. But the donkey is a sign of peace. Jesus comes not as a king of victory, but as a king of peace. The people at that time held palm signs in their hands and shouted Hosanna. Hosanna means: “Save us”. Palm branches are also a sign of peace.
Christians still worship Jesus as king on this day. So today we want to worship Jesus, he is our King who wants to bring us peace. Peace in the world, peace in the community, peace in the family and peace in the hearts of people. People need peace and love more than any other things.
Palm Sunday proclaims a message of peace. This message of peace through Christ stands between the suffering of Jesus and his resurrection. We cannot separate the solemn entry of Jesus on Palm Sunday as King of Peace from Holy Week and thus from the suffering and death of Jesus. The word Kar means mourning, lamentation or sorrow. The message of peace begins with the experience of mourning, lamentation, sorrow, suffering, passion and even ends with dying and death. If Jesus had not been willing to suffer and die, there would have been no resurrection. The victory and peace in the sense of Jesus are not to be seen in a worldly sense, but in the sense of God. Where there is peace, love and the joy of victory, people are ready to suffer and even die. We proclaim this message of peace and victory without wanting to glorify suffering. Nobody glorifies suffering. But when suffering becomes necessary, we should stand firm and then comes peace, joy, love and victory. This is the core of the Christian message.
With the celebration of Palm Sunday we enter the holy week. the message of Christ.
The coming days of Holy Week, in which we commemorate the passion, suffering and death of Jesus, can deepen our faith and grow a firm trust in God. During Holy Week I wish all of us more time to think, more time to pray, more time to read and think about Bible texts, more time to grow into Be in the presence of God. The moments of personal prayer can help and move us to listen more carefully to the texts of the church services and to internalize the path of Jesus’ suffering. I hope that we can all look at the example of Jesus, his power and strength and that we can experience the Holy Week, calmly and contemplatively and noticeably experience the blessing and grace of God.
Fr. Joseph Pandiappallil MCBS