April 13, 2014 – Palm Sunday of the Lord’s Passion
Mt 21: 1-11; Is 50: 4-7; Ps 22: 8-9. 17-20, 23-24; Phil 2: 6-11; Mt 26:14 to 27:66
“Truly, this was the Son of God.” (Matthew 27:54). With those words, we are reminded of the significance of Jesus Christ, our Lord and Savior. In a sense, we have spent the past several weeks pondering this, and considering what it means to us personally. This is, of course, part of the Passion as written in the Gospel of Matthew.
On this Palm Sunday we begin our liturgies with a procession during which we hear the crowds shout and cheer as Jesus enters Jerusalem, “Hosanna in the highest.” The word “Hosanna” in Hebrew is “Hoshiana” and in Jesus’ native tongue Aramaic it is “Hosiana.” Scholars generally agree that it meant “save” or “rescue” in Aramaic, and may have even meant “savior.” The point is that the crowd senses the saving grace of Jesus Christ, and rejoices accordingly.
Although we begin our Palm Sunday Mass with this joyful announcement, we will later, as part of the reading of the Passion, be chanting “Let him be crucified.” Is this the same crowd? Have they turned so dramatically on the Savior? Our own lives may be filled with those kinds of contradictions. As Easter approaches and Lent draws to a close, as good stewards, we must work to embrace Jesus and to be a part of His glory.
