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Palm Sunday marks the
beginning of Holy Week with the blessing and distribution of palm
branches to the faithful. The palm branches are to be placed in a place
of honor in every home. It is the day when the Christian world
celebrates Christ's triumphant entrance into Jerusalem. The 6th Sunday
of Lent is called Passion Sunday because it marked the beginning of
Passiontide. After the Second Vatican Council the church began to refer
to Palm Sunday as Passion Sunday. In today’s liturgy the triumphant and
joyful entrance of Christ the King is contrasted with the heart breaking
events of the Lord’s redeeming passion. Whether we call it Palm Sunday
or Passion Sunday does not matter. What really matters is that this
Sunday we are reminded of those holy days when Jesus accomplished our
salvation.
Jesus was a keen observer of human nature. All four evangelists point
out that Jesus realized his hour was fast approaching. His actions had
so angered the Jewish religious authorities that it was only a matter of
time before they destroyed him. Under those circumstances most people
would have avoided Jerusalem altogether or slipped into town under the
cover of darkness. Instead, Jesus goes to some lengths to arrange his
procession into the city. If anything the authorities were even more
angry after Palm Sunday.
Jesus chose to enter Jerusalem in a way he saw as the fulfillment of the
Messianic prophecies. The great warrior kings triumphantly entered their
cities on war horses, with great pomp and circumstance they led their
victorious armies. Jesus remembered the prophet Zechariah who announced
that the Messiah would enter Jerusalem astride the foal of a beast of
burden. This Messiah would bring about peace through his own suffering.
By riding the colt into the city Jesus proclaimed his Messiahship.
Once again this year you are invited to relive the great moment which
led to your redemption. You are invited to examine your life in light of
the Lord's loving passion and death which led to his resurrection and
leads to yours'.
This week begins the holiest season of the year, the end of Lent and the
days of the Paschal Triduum. Lent ends as the church begins the
Mass of the Lord's Supper on Holy Thursday night. This is to be a time
of peace, prayer and vigil. The Mass of the Lord's Supper recalls the
institution of the sacraments of Holy Orders and the Eucharist in the
Lord's command of loving service to his apostles. Our Catholic community
here in Chicago Heights will continue the tradition of pilgrimage
to the local churches in honor of the Lord's vigil in the garden.
The celebration of the Lord's Passion on Good Friday calls us to witness
the mystery of God's love for us. We venerate the cross on which hung
the savior of the world. We reverently receive the Body and Blood of
Christ, the promise of a heavenly banquet.
Holy Saturday night we celebrate the Easter Vigil. On this holy night we
bless the new fire and light the paschal candle, the symbol of the Risen
Christ with us. In the liturgy of the Word we hear the story of our
salvation, the history of God's people - our ancestors in the faith. Our
candidates come forward for full acceptance into the church. In them we
have an opportunity to die and rise again with Christ who saves us.
We witness the outpouring of the Holy Spirit in Confirmation. We
joyfully celebrate the resurrection of Jesus with our newest members in
full communion with the mystical Body of Christ throughout the world.
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