All For Us: A Reflection for Palm Sunday
Happy Holy Week! Our Lenten journey truly is just the Beginning as we enter into the holiest of weeks in the liturgical calendar with today Palm Sunday and to come Holy Thursday, Good Friday, Holy Saturday, Easter Sunday, and the entire Easter season.
We hear in the Gospel before the blessing of the palms,
“Hosanna!
Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!
Blessed is the kingdom of our father David that is to come!
Hosanna in the highest!”
How blessed are we who are privileged to come in the name of the Lord and before the Lord each time we come to Mass. We are given the gift of hearing the Lord in sacred Scripture and the gift of receiving the Lord in the Body and Blood of Christ.
Today and throughout this week we are given the time, opportunity, and the grace to reflect on life Jesus gives us in the Eucharist, the life given through the Passion of Jesus, and the everlasting life given to us in His resurrection and conquering sin and death.
Maybe you came to today’s liturgy because of the Palms, maybe you are a regular here at Assumption and came to Mass on Sunday as usual, maybe this is your first time worshiping at Assumption: no matter why you are here: Welcome!
Growing up I had no idea about the Sacred Triduum of Evening Mass of the Lord’s Supper on Holy Thursday, The Lord’s Passion on Good Friday and the Easter Vigil on Holy Saturday. But since my first year with the friars, I have desired to be present at the liturgies and services of each day. They are so beautiful, powerful, and life-giving expressions of the truths of our faith - the Real Presence of God In the Eucharist, the truth that Jesus died for our sins and the reality that Jesus rose from the Dead.
I invite you to join us for the Holy Triduum. Maybe you have never been to the Sacred Triduum before: know that you are welcome!
I began this reflection looking at the words the people of Jerusalem cried out. One of them is the word: Hosanna. Hosanna comes from the Hebrew meaning “Pray, Save us” and today is understood as an expression of adoration, praise, or joy. We no longer need to pray “ save us” for Christ saved us, each of us, one and all on the cross - yet may we continue to share expressions of adoration, praise or joy each and every day. Blessed Holy Week to each of you!
