Today we celebrate Palm Sunday, the first day of Holy Week, the most solemn week in the Church’s calendar. On this day we begin to reflect on the events that brought about our salvation.
I remember when I was a small child: people would gather outside the church entrance holding palm branches, waiting for the priest to bless them. For us children, it was a joyful day. We waved our palms as we entered the church, commemorating the entrance of Jesus Christ into Jerusalem. Together we shouted: “Hosanna to the Son of David!”
In the first reading from the Book of Isaiah, we hear about the people of Israel who were experiencing persecution during their time in exile. In that difficult moment, the prophet speaks about one who would suffer for the sake of the people, someone Isaiah identifies as the “Suffering Servant.” Christians have long understood this figure as a prophecy that prefigures the suffering and sacrifice of Jesus Christ.
In the second reading from the Epistle to the Philippians, St. Paul speaks about Christ Jesus, who did not cling to His equality with God but emptied Himself, humbling Himself to share in our humanity. In His humility, He accepted even death, death on a cross. Because of His faithful obedience to the will of the Father, God highly exalted Him and gave Him the name above every other name. Jesus is Lord. This is the heart of the Paschal Mystery that we celebrate during this Holy Week.
Today’s gospel, written by St. Matthew recounts the triumphant entry of Jesus into the City of Jerusalem. We are invited to reflect deeply on the life, death, and resurrection of Jesus, which reveal God’s ultimate plan: His boundless love for humanity and His desire to bring every person back to Himself.
First, many people recognized God’s presence among them and welcomed Jesus with joy, shouting: “Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest!” This was good news. People were drawn not only by His words but also by His acts of loving sacrifice. Through Him, the people of Israel experienced a new sense of hope and liberation.
Second, we also know that the journey that began with praises of “Hosanna, Hosanna” eventually ended with the cruel cries of “Crucify Him, crucify Him!” Yet even in the face of betrayal and suffering, Jesus remained composed. God was still at work in Him, because Jesus was fulfilling the mission entrusted to Him according to the Father’s purpose.
His humility stands in sharp contrast to the arrogance of the rulers and religious leaders of His time. Though He is truly God, Christ entered Jerusalem riding on a donkey, a sign of humility and simplicity rather than worldly power.
Third, at the moment of His death, the Gospel says that Jesus “breathed His last.” He gave up His spirit and died. Yet His death gave a new meaning to life itself. The suffering and death of Jesus, when properly understood, reveal that even in suffering there is hope. Through the power of the same Spirit that filled Jesus, humanity is renewed and given new life.
The disciples of Jesus, strengthened by the power of their Lord and Master, would later go through similar experiences. Like Jesus in the garden, they would feel fear at first. But eventually they would be filled with courage and joy. No matter who threatened them, no matter if they were imprisoned or persecuted, they boldly proclaimed the Gospel of truth and love.
Finally, when Jesus died on the cross, a Roman soldier proclaimed, “Truly, this was the Son of God!” This should also be our profession of faith. We proclaim it not only with our words but with our lives—by living as children of God and by accepting the salvation and redemption for which Jesus poured out His blood.
Nothing can stop Jesus from saving us. Our insecurities, our addictions, our hidden struggles, and even our sins—He is willing to redeem them all. He is only waiting for our humble gesture of surrender.
The Passion of Jesus Christ is essential for us to understand the true nature of Christ. He suffered and died like every human being, yet this did not diminish the truth that He is Lord and God. Through His Passion He becomes our model, and through His cross He gives us the symbol of hope and salvation.
As we enter this Holy Week, may God grant us the grace to walk with Christ more deeply. The power of God can shake the whole world—but that same power can also transform our hearts, leading us to true conversion.
God bless you.
Fr. Arlon, OSA
