Palm Sunday: The Triumphal Entry of Christ

Feast Day: The Sunday before Easter (Beginning of Holy Week)
Liturgical Color: Red (Symbolizing Christ’s Passion and Kingship)
Significance: Celebrates Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem, marking the beginning of Holy Week and leading to His Passion, Death, and Resurrection.

Palm Sunday commemorates Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem, when He was greeted by crowds waving palm branches and shouting “Hosanna!” (Matthew 21:9). This event fulfills Old Testament prophecies about the Messiah’s arrival as a King, but it also foreshadows His suffering and crucifixion.

Palm Sunday marks the beginning of Holy Week, the most sacred time in the Church’s liturgical year. The liturgy on this day has two key aspects:

1. The Joyful Procession with Palms – Celebrating Christ as King.
2. The Reading of the Passion Narrative – Preparing for His suffering and death.

While the crowds on Palm Sunday praised Jesus, many of the same people would later demand His crucifixion. This contrast reminds us of the frailty of human faith and the need for true discipleship.

"The disciples went and did as Jesus had directed them. They brought the donkey and the colt and put on them their cloaks, and he sat on them. Most of the crowd spread their cloaks on the road, and others cut branches from the trees and spread them on the road. And the crowds that went before him and that followed him were shouting, ‘Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest!’"

• Jesus fulfills Zechariah 9:9: “Behold, your king is coming to you; righteous and having salvation is he, humble and mounted on a donkey.”
• The donkey symbolizes peace and humility, contrasting with earthly kings who rode warhorses.
• The people wave palm branches, a sign of victory and Jewish nationalism, expecting Jesus to overthrow Roman rule.

"Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!"

• The word “Hosanna” means “Save us, we pray!”, revealing the people’s hope for salvation.
• However, their misunderstanding of Jesus’ mission is clear—they expect an earthly king, while Jesus comes to establish a heavenly kingdom.

• Palm Sunday also includes the solemn reading of the Passion Narrative, which recounts:
  • The Last Supper
  • Jesus’ Agony in Gethsemane
  • His Betrayal and Arrest
  • The Trial before Pilate
  • The Crucifixion and Death of Jesus
• The same people who shouted “Hosanna!” later cry out “Crucify Him!” (Matthew 27:22), showing the fickleness of human nature.

Palm Sunday teaches us several profound lessons:

1. Jesus is the True King – But His Kingdom is not of this world (John 18:36). He rules not by force, but by love and sacrifice.
2. The Mystery of Suffering and Glory – The triumph of Palm Sunday leads directly to the suffering of Good Friday. We must accept both joy and suffering in following Christ.
3. Human Weakness and the Need for True Faith – Many who praised Jesus later abandoned Him. We must strive for a faith that remains steadfast even in trials.
4. Christ’s Willingness to Suffer for Us – He enters Jerusalem knowing He will be rejected and crucified, yet He does so out of love for us.

• 4th Century: Palm Sunday was already celebrated in Jerusalem, with processions reenacting Jesus’ entry.
• 7th Century: The custom of blessing palms and holding processions spread throughout the Church.
• Today: Palm Sunday remains a central part of Holy Week, reminding Catholics to prepare spiritually for the Paschal Mystery (Christ’s Passion, Death, and Resurrection).

• At the start of Mass, the priest blesses palm branches, and the congregation joins in a procession, singing “Hosanna”, just as the people did for Jesus.
• The blessed palms are often kept at home as a sacramental and later burned to make the ashes for Ash Wednesday.

• The Gospel reading is lengthened to include the entire Passion of Christ, preparing Catholics for the events of Holy Week.
• This is the only Mass of the year where the congregation plays a direct role in the Gospel, often taking the part of the crowd shouting “Crucify Him!”

• Catholics are encouraged to meditate on how they receive Christ:
  • Are we like those who welcomed Him with enthusiasm but later turned away?
  • Or do we remain faithful disciples, even in trials?

• In many churches, crucifixes and statues are covered in veils, symbolizing the deepening mystery of Christ’s Passion.

• Attend Mass and participate in the procession.
• Read and meditate on the Passion narrative (Matthew 26:14—27:66).
• Reflect on Jesus’ Kingship – Is He truly King of your heart and life?
• Commit to a deeper Holy Week experience – Plan to receive Confession and attend Triduum services.
• Pray the Sorrowful Mysteries of the Rosary, meditating on Christ’s suffering.

Palm Sunday is a day of both joy and sorrow. It reminds us that Jesus is the true King, but His path to glory is through humility, obedience, and the Cross. As we enter Holy Week, we are called to walk with Christ—from the shouts of “Hosanna” to the silence of the tomb, awaiting the glory of the Resurrection.