PALM SUNDAY (USHA`NE)

 

The Lord came from Bethany to Jerusalem on Sunday, five days before the Passover of the Law, in order to celebrate the feast with his disciples. He sat on an ass foal brought to Him by two of His disciples and entered the city of Jerusalem. When the people in the city learned that Jesus was on his way, they promptly grabbed palm branches in their hands and went over to greet Him as a sign of homage. Others laid their garments on the ground, and still, others took branches from trees and strewed them in the path that Jesus would take; and all of them, particularly the women, went before and after Him, shouting, "Hosanna: Blessed is He who has come in the Name of the Lord, the King of Israel!" (John 12:13). This day, we celebrate the radiant and majestic festival of our Lord's arrival into Jerusalem.

The palm tree branches reflect Christ's triumph over the devil and death. The word Hosanna means "Save, I pray," or "Save, now."  The ass foal (signifying humility), Jesus' sitting on it, and the fact that this creature was untamed and rendered unclean according to the Law, symbolised the nations' wild and unclean nature previously, and their subsequent submission to the Holy Law of the Gospel. Palm leaves are blessed and given to Christians on Palm Sunday, who then walk in procession around the church whilst waving the palm leaves. Since blessed palm leaves cannot be discarded, the Church preserves them until Christmas, when they are burned in a ceremonial bonfire during the liturgy.

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