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CajunRick
Network Helper
| Joined: | Fri Sep 29th, 2006 |
| Location: | Houma, Louisiana USA |
| Posts: | 5024 |
| First Name: | Rick (& Kermie) | | Gender: | Male | | Faith History: | Lifetime Catholic, Latin Rite |
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Online
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Posted: Thu Mar 29th, 2007 02:33 pm |
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The Sunday before Easter is known by two names: Palm Sunday and Passion Sunday.
The mass begins with a reenactment of Jesus' triumphant entry into Jerusalem. When kings and conquerers entered a city, the people would mark the path with leaves so their horses hooves would meet a soft surface rather than mud or stones. Jesus was greeted with this high honor as the people of Jerusalem covered the road with palm branches in honor of his kingship. However, since his kingship was not of this world, he did not enter on a noble steed, but on a humble donkey. Palm Sunday celebrates his glorious entry into Jerusalem, and we raise our palm branches as the residents of Jerusalem did in honor of our King.
Like the last week of his life, Palm Sunday also celebrates the end of Jesus life with the reading of a gospel passage detailing his suffering and death. On Passion Sunday, the gospel reading is from one of the synoptic gospels; this year, Cycle C, the reading is from Luke. (Matthew is read in year A, and Mark in year B). The Passion according to John is read every year on Good Friday.
As we begin our Palm Sunday mass with his glorious entry into Jerusalem and celebrate Passion Sunday with the memoirs of his death, the climax of our Sunday celebration is his Divine Presence in the Eucharist, in which he nourishes us with his heavenly Body and Blood, just as at every other mass. So the unique celebration of his joyful entry into Jerusalem, and the sorrowful recollectoin of his passion and death, takes a back seat to his presence always with us in his sacrificial gift of the Bread and Wine of Eternal Life. The more things change, the more they remain the same. Praise God who always was, always will be, and always remains the same!
As we leave mass on Palm/Passion Sunday, reminded of Jesus' kingship and his humble suffering and death, we carry palm branches which remind us that Jesus is King of heaven and earth, and as we watch the life slowly fade from the branches over the next year, we are reminded of the temporary nature of earthly life, and the life to come when we will meet our glorious King face to face in eternal bliss.
We are encouraged to wear red, the color of blood, to mass this weekend.
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Understanding is the reward of faith. Therefore seek not to understand that you may believe, but believe that you may understand. - Augustine
Rick Luquette
Luquette Lane
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