Collect for Palm Sunday and Holy Week

COLLECT SERIES

Collect Series Icon: The Mass

 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. 

REFLECTION QUESTIONS

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?

Image by OpenClipart-Vectors from Pixabay 

SYMBOLS OF PALM SUNDAY.

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.

 PASSION READING

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 Luke. 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.

JOURNEY OF HOLY WEEK

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 and for those we love. as we look to Jesus during these holy days.

May we also remember at Masses during Holy Week those who are unable to attend Holy Week Ceremonies because, like Jesus they were accused and framed for a crime they did not commit and as a result, they are in jail.  There are prisoners too who are in prison because they committed a horrible crime. We need to pray for them for the grace to repent and to desire to be like the good thief.  We also need to remember those who are unable to celebrate their faith in their country with freedom.

I have a very busy schedule for Holy Week singing and/or playing from Palm Sunday through to Easter Sunday Night.  It is always a very special time but I hope that my voice holds out the distance.  However, on  Palm Sunday, I  wont be reading the Narrator’s part at one of the Masses. I am disappointed because I felt it was both a huge responsibility and such a privilege to read the Passion in this way.

I also look forward each year to Tenebrae on Good Friday and Holy Saturday morning with the Dominican Friars and my very special delight is always Easter Sunday Vespers.

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

with great spiritual enthusiasm.