Palm Sunday

Palm Sunday is the feast of Christ's triumphal entry into Jerusalem, when Christ was hailed by the people as the Messiah and New King of Israel.  As He entered the city on a donkey, the people waved branches and cried: "Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord!" (Zech. 9:9)

The people were waiting for a saviour to lead them out of bondage to the Romans. Jesus came, not as a saviour from political bonds, as they were expecting. Instead, he brought the people spiritual freedom from the suffering caused by sin.

Christ came to Jerusalem in fulfillment of the prophecies and having chosen the way of the Cross, invited the faithful to witness His Passion, that they might share in His Resurrection. Despite knowing what lay ahead for him—suffering, crucifixion and burial—Jesus still went to Jerusalem because this was God’s will.

The first thing Jesus did when he came to Jerusalem was to go to his home, the big temple. He angrily cleaned out the moneychangers, knocking over their tables and sending them packing. Why could Jesus do this? Only the owner can send away people from his property. In the same way, this temple is in all of us. Jesus wants to come in and clean up the dirt in each of us. He says, “God lives in you, why do you stray from God and poison my temple inside of you?” There is no place for hate, selfishness, misunderstanding, laziness, fear and anger. God has the strength beyond any of us to clean this filth from us and replace it with love, just as 2,000 years ago he cleaned up the temple in Jerusalem.

On this day, palm leaves are blessed in church and distributed to the people with a procession and blessing of the Sunday School children.  Right after Soorp Badarak, the priest and people pray for entry once again into God's glorious Kingdom and wait for the church to symbolically open its doors (Ternpatsek), just as Christ opened the doors for the resurrection of humanity.  On Lazarus Saturday, the day before Palm Sunday, the curtain before the altar is opened. Also today, Lent is over. Monday, we enter into Holy Week, and we start another fasting period. Holy Week services are intended for us to live out the message of Christ.