Palm Sunday and the Triumphal Entry in the Bible
Jesus traveled to Jerusalem knowing that this journey would end in his sacrificial death on the cross for the sins of all mankind. Before he entered the city, he sent two disciples ahead to the village of Bethphage to look for an unbroken colt:

As he approached Bethphage and Bethany at the hill called the Mount of Olives, he sent two of his disciples, saying to them, “Go to the village ahead of you, and as you enter it, you will find a colt tied there, which no one has ever ridden. Untie it and bring it here. If anyone asks you, ‘Why are you untying it?’ say, ‘The Lord needs it.'” (Luke 19:29-31, NIV)

The men brought the colt to Jesus and placed their cloaks on its back. As Jesus sat on the young donkey he slowly made his humble entrance into Jerusalem.

The people greeted Jesus enthusiastically, waving palm branches and covering his path with palm branches:

The crowds that went ahead of him and those that followed shouted, “Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest heaven!” (Matthew 21:9, NIV)

The shouts of “Hosanna” meant “save now,” and the palm branches symbolized goodness and victory. Interestingly, at the end of the Bible, people will wave palm branches once again to praise and honor Jesus Christ:

After this I looked, and there before me was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language, standing before the throne and before the Lamb. They were wearing white robes and were holding palm branches in their hands. (Revelation 7:9, NIV)

On this inaugural Palm Sunday, the celebration quickly spread throughout the whole city. People even threw down their cloaks on the path where Jesus rode as an act of homage and submission.

The crowds praised Jesus enthusiastically because they believed he would overthrow Rome. They recognized him as the promised Messiah from Zechariah 9:9:

Rejoice greatly, Daughter Zion! Shout, Daughter Jerusalem! See, your king comes to you, righteous and victorious, lowly and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey. (NIV)
Although the people did not fully understand Christ’s mission yet, their worship honored God:

“Do you hear what these children are saying?” they asked him. “Yes,” replied Jesus, “have you never read, ” ‘From the lips of children and infants you, Lord, have called forth your praise’?” (Matthew 21:16, NIV)
Immediately following this great time of celebration in the ministry of Jesus Christ, he began his journey to the cross.

How Is Palm Sunday Celebrated Today?
Palm Sunday, or Passion Sunday as it is referred to in some Christian churches, is the sixth Sunday of Lent and the final Sunday before Easter. Worshipers commemorate Jesus Christ’s triumphal entry into Jerusalem.

On this day, Christians also remember Christ’s sacrificial death on the cross, praise God for the gift of salvation, and look expectantly to the Lord’s second coming.

Many churches, including Lutheran, Roman Catholic, Methodist, Anglican, Eastern Orthodox, Moravian and Reformed traditions, distribute palm branches to the congregation on Palm Sunday for the customary observances. These observances include a reading of the account of Christ’s entry into Jerusalem, the carrying and waving of palm branches in processional, the blessing of palms, the singing of traditional hymns, and the making of small crosses with palm fronds.

In some traditions, worshippers take home and display their palm branches near a cross or crucifix, or press them into their Bible until the next year’s season of Lent. Some churches will place collection baskets to gather the old palm leaves to be burned on Shrove Tuesday of the following year and used in the next day’s Ash Wednesday services.

Palm Sunday also marks the beginning of Holy Week, a solemn week focusing on the final days of Jesus’ life. Holy Week culminates on Easter Sunday, the most important holiday in Christianity.

Fairchild, Mary. “What Is Palm Sunday?”
Learn Religions, Aug. 27, 2020, learnreligions.com/what-is-palm-sunday-700775.

Week 5 – Life Transformed
The Way of Love in Lent
April 3, 2022
from the Episcopal Church Website

The journey through Lent into Easter is a journey with Jesus. We are baptized into his life, self-giving, and death; then, we rise in hope to life transformed. This Lent, communities are invited to walk with Jesus in his Way of Love and into the experience of transformed life. Together, we will reflect anew on the loving actions of God as recounted in the Easter Vigil readings. Together, we will walk through the depths of salvation history into the fullness of redemption. Throughout Lent, come along with us as we explore Life Transformed: The Way of Love in Lent, produced by Hillary Raining and Jenifer Gamber. You can find resources mentioned below at iam.ec/lifetransformed or by scanning the QR code to the right.

Week 5

Sunday, April 3

Today’s Practice: Watch the Rev. Dr. Hillary Raining’s video at iam.ec/lifetransformed for Week 5. The topic is based on the practice “Rest” and is titled, “The Valley of Dry Bones”.

Read: Ezekiel 37:1-14

Monday, April 4

Today’s Prompt: What are you thankful for?

Read: “For we are aliens and transients before you, as were all our ancestors; our days on the earth are like a shadow, and there is no hope.” – 1 Chronicles 29:15

Tuesday, April 5

Today’s Prompt: Where might God be asking you to take your great love into the world?

Read: “You have heard; now see all this; and will you not declare it? From this time forward I make you hear new things, hidden things that you have not known.” – Isaiah 48:6b

Wednesday, April 6

Today’s Prompt: Slowly read this passage aloud. How does this speak to the world today?

Read: “As he walked by the Sea of Galilee, he saw two brothers, Simon, who is called Peter, and Andrew his brother, casting a net into the sea – for they were fishermen. And he said to them, ‘Follow me, and I will make you fish for people.’ Immediately they left their nets and followed him. As he went from there, he saw two other brothers, James son of Zebedee and his brother John, in the boat with their father Zebedee, mending their nets, and he called them. Immediately they left the boat and their father, and followed him.” – Matthew 4:18-22

Thursday, April 7

Today’s Prompt: What seminal moments have informed a need to return to Christ?

Read: “Create in me a clean heart, O God, and put a new and right spirit within me.” – Psalm 51:10

Friday, April 8

Today’s Prompt: What relationships do you need to mend?

Read: “For my thoughts are not your thoughts, nor are your ways my ways, says the Lord. For as the heavens are higher than the earth, so are my ways higher than your ways and my thoughts than your thoughts.” – Isaiah 55:8-9

Saturday, April 9

Today’s Prompt: How has this Way with God impacted your experience of God?

Read: “Let the one who believes in me drink. As the scripture has said, ‘Out of the believer’s heart shall flow rivers of living water.'” – John 7:38

Reflections from “Living the Way of Love” by Mary Bea Sullivan (Church Publishing, 2019). Used with permission. Quotations from the New Revised Standard Version Bible, copyright  1989 the Division of Christian Education of the National Council of the Churches of Christ in the United States of America. Used by permission. All rights reserved.