Lent 2025 – week 6: Palm Sunday the “Day of Glory”

 

Written by V. Rev Fr Emmanuel Awwad:  a Greek Orthodox Priest from the Palestinian village of Aboud.

 

Dear brothers in the Lord Jesus Christ, our Redeemer and Saviour

I am happy to share this reflection with you, hoping you will forgive me for my weaknesses and shortcomings because only God is perfect.

"Hosanna, blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord, Hosanna in the highest” (Matthew 21:1-17).

In the sixth week of Lent - eternal salvation - when he entered Jerusalem, the whole city was shaken and they asked: "Who is this?" The crowds answered: "This is Jesus the prophet from Nazareth of Galilee". Matthew 21:10-11

On Palm Sunday, we enter into the Sunday of glory with Jesus Christ, the glory that will bring us into Holy Week to accompany Jesus until the Resurrection.

Why do we call Palm Sunday the “Day of Glory”?

After Jesus raised his friend Lazarus from the dead (John 11:1-43), he decided to enter Jerusalem for the last time to celebrate the Passover with his disciples. The people welcomed him with great joy and signs of victory and considered him a king.

The people greeted him with palm branches and olive branches. The palm branches were tokens of honour for the victorious king and the olive branches symbolized the peace that the people carried in their hearts. He was welcomed by adults, especially by children and infants, who shouted: “Hosanna! Blessed is the King who comes in the name of the Lord!”

Blessed is the kingdom that is coming!

“Peace in heaven! Glory in the highest!” (Luke 19:38)

Jesus entered Jerusalem as a king. The people considered him so, but they did not understand that Jesus was not a temporal king and did not enter Jerusalem to liberate it from Roman rule or to restore the kingdom to Israel. Jesus repeatedly tried to explain to them about his kingdom, proclaiming: “My kingdom is not of this world” (John 18:36). Although they did not understand this, they welcomed him as a king, placing their hopes in him and asking him to liberate them from temporal rule and bondage. However, their material hopes dissipated, and they demanded his crucifixion.

Jesus entered with inexpressible humility, walking among the people and implanting his love and peace in their hearts. However, the priests, leaders, Pharisees, and scribes were filled with anger at this great popular reception. Fearing that they would lose their interests, privileges, and positions, "They began to say to each other: "Look, you are my king... There is no use for him! Here the world has gone after him! We have lost everything before Jesus the prophet and the coming king. Therefore, we must kill him and regain our authority.”

 

Jesus was explaining to the crowds that he was entering Jerusalem as the "Son of God" and the "awaited Saviour" to grant them all salvation. They will gain everything. He told them: “I am entering Jerusalem to be crucified and die there, and on the third day I will rise and give life to all people.” Even his apostles and disciples did not understand this speech. They only understood it after his resurrection and the descent of the Holy Spirit upon them.

We, as Christians in this world in general and in the Middle East in particular, celebrate the entry of Christ into Jerusalem, inviting him to be enthroned in our hearts and into our homelands. This marks the entry of Christ into the land of Canaan the holy land, this land that he blessed and sanctified by his coming to it and in which he remained and lived.

How shall we receive him? And with what logic shall we receive him?

Shall we receive him as a temporal king? And shall we pin all our hopes and aspirations on him? Shall we say to God: "Hosanna", a phrase that means "Come save us"? Yes, Lord, save us from the crises, wars, and crimes we are afflicted with today and every day. Save us from the wars that we have been going through and for which we have been paying dearly for years and years. Save us from terrorism, hatred, and malice. Save us from poverty, ignorance, and fanaticism.

If we seek material things, we will be disappointed. But if we accept Him as pure and innocent children with hearts full of faith, joy, and peace, we will be called to repent to Him and purify our souls and hearts from all envy and malice. Then we will be worthy to accept Jesus, the Son of God, who will die on the cross for His love for us all. We will be worthy to accept the Son of God, the King, who sacrifices Himself for the salvation of His people and raises them from the glory of the vain world to the eternal glory of the heavens.

On Palm Sunday, we want to welcome Christ, the King of Peace, to live in peace, freedom, and dignity. We talk, meet with one another, and shake hands in the name of God's infinite love for us. We unite and stand in solidarity to build a new world and a new society dominated by love, loyalty, and dedication. Let us attend to the spiritual renewal of our hearts on this glorious day so that after carrying the cross with Him and accepting to die for our sins, we will be worthy to enter with Jesus into the glory of the heavenly Jerusalem and resurrect with Him to a new eternal life.

We pray today that our holy journey with Christ will lead us to resurrection.

"Amen! Come, Lord Jesus" (Revelation 22:20).

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