With the celebration this weekend of Palm Sunday of the Passion of the Lord, we begin the most solemn week of our faith life. It begins with the triumphal entrance into Jerusalem for Jesus. He rides in to sounds of praise and adulation. The triumphal entry is Jesus coming into Jerusalem a few days before the mood of the crowd turns from cheers to jeers. Soon, the crucifixion will be upon Jesus. The story of the triumphal entry is one of the few incidents in the life of Jesus which appears in all four Gospel accounts. Putting the four accounts together, it becomes clear that the triumphal entry was a significant event, not only to the people of Jesus’ day, but to Christians throughout history. We celebrate Palm Sunday to remember that momentous occasion. We also hear the initial proclamation of the Passion. This year is comes from Luke’s gospel. On that day, Jesus rides into Jerusalem on the back of a borrowed donkey’s colt, one that had never been ridden before. The disciples spread their cloaks on the donkey for Jesus to sit on, and the multitudes came out to welcome Him, laying before Him their cloaks and the branches of palm trees. The people hailed and praised Him as “Blessed is the king who comes in the name of the Lord”. He rides to the temple, where He taught the people, healed them, and drove out the money-changers and merchants who had made His Father’s house a “den of robbers.” Jesus rides into His capital city as a conquering King and is hailed by the people as such, in the manner of the day. The streets of Jerusalem, the royal city, are open to Him, and like a king, He ascends to His palace, not a temporal palace, but the spiritual palace which is the temple, because His is a spiritual kingdom. He receives the worship and praise of the people because only He deserves it. No longer does He tell His disciples to be quiet about Him, but to shout His praises and worship Him openly. Jesus’ purpose in riding into Jerusalem was to make public His claim to be their Messiah and King of Israel in fulfillment of Old Testament prophecy. We are told that the King comes on the foal of a donkey. This was what Zechariah foretold (9:9). The story of the triumphal entry is one of contrasts and those contrasts are the application to believers. It is the story of the King who came as a lowly servant on a donkey, not a prancing steed, not in royal robes, but on the clothes of the poor and humble. Jesus Christ comes not to conquer by force as earthly kings, but by love, grace, mercy, and His own sacrifice for His people. His is not a kingdom of armies and splendor, but of lowliness and servanthood. He conquers not nations, but hearts and minds. His message is one of peace with God, not of temporal peace. If Jesus has made a triumphal entry into our hearts, He reigns there in peace and love. As His followers, we are called to exhibit those same qualities, and the world sees the true King living and reigning in triumph in us. The most sacred time of our faith life has begun. This Holy Week culminates in the Easter Triduum – the three most important days of our faith: Holy Thursday, Good Friday and the Easter services. Each is unique unto themselves yet they form a complete whole. Thursday we will celebrate the Evening Mass of the Lords’ Supper. Good Friday is the celebration of the Passion of the Lord. And the then we celebrate the Easter services and the Resurrection of the Lord. Come and join us. Celebrate the depth of our faith in these ceremonies. You won’t regret it!