Palm Sunday Year A Collect.

The Collect for Palm Sunday Year A reads as follows:

 Almighty ever-living God,

who as an example of humility for the human race to follow

caused our Saviour to take flesh and submit to the Cross,

graciously grant that we may heed  His lesson of patient suffering,

and so merit a share in His resurrection.

 

NB this is the Collect for the Mass.  There is also a Collect during the Procession of the Palms. 

 



In making this prayer tangible, the following reflection questions emerged:

1.  What does it mean to me  to be humble?
2.  How does my level of humility reflect the humility of Christ?
3.  How do I respond to suffering?
4.  What does  it take for me to heed His lesson of patient suffering?
5.  How will  enter into Holy Week this year?
6.  How will it be different than previous years?
7.  How will my Lenten journey so far be intensified during Holy Week?

Did you know that every donkey has a cross marked on its back?  It is there clearly marked in the fur.  Tradition says that this is because of the donkey that carried the Lord on that first Palm Sunday. 
On Palm Sunday the palms that are blessed are given out at Mass.  Usually there is a procession, either in the shorter or longer form depending on pastoral considerations.  Where there is the traditional procession, the reading of the Gospel for Palm Sunday is read outside. During that time, palm branches are held to recall the triumphant entry of Christ into Jerusalem. The hymn 'all glory, praise and honour to Christ Redeemer King is traditionally sung during the procession.

When we take the palms home, it is important to remember that they have been blessed ,and therefore should be treated as holy objects. Some palms can be created into crosses, and these are excellent for using as a book mark in the missal or our bibles.  It is a timely reminder for the whole year of the start of the Church's holiest of weeks- Holy Week which commemorates  the great events of Christ's passion, death and resurrection.

During Mass, the reading of the Passion is read according to the appropriate yearly cycle, whereas on Good Friday, the reading of the passion according to St John is read.  When the passion is read, the whole triumphant mood is changed.  It signifies also the fickleness of the crowd towards Jesus- they were crying out ' Hosanna to the Son of David' and later on Good Friday- 'crucify Him'.

 

There are many aspects of today's gospel which could be spoken about.  However,  I will not present a gospel reflection on this Sunday, but suggest that during this week, that we spend some time re-reading and reflecting on the passion of Christ presented in today's Gospel of Matthew. Enter into the characters and their motivations and put ourselves into it. Whose character/s resonates with us? Perhaps there will be a phrase or line of the Gospel that will speak to you this Palm Sunday.

With the end of Lent, we are now about to embark on the holiest days of our journey, Holy Week, culminating in the greatest event in history, Christ’s Resurrection on Easter. .

Together with the faithful we remain united to the suffering Christ in prayer and praise during Holy Week. We seek the hope of physical, emotional, and spiritual healing for all of our own suffering as we look to Jesus during these holy days.

May you enter into this greatest week of the Church's calendar -Holy week-

with great spiritual enthusiasm.