Lenten Thoughts – Palm Sunday, Year C – 14 April
This Sunday, called Palm or Passion Sunday, is the first day of Holy Week. Holy Thursday, Good Friday and the Easter Vigil on Holy Saturday are called the Triduum, three days that are the highlight of the Church year. There are two Gospels proclaimed at today’s Mass. The first Gospel, proclaimed before the procession with palms, tells of Jesus’ triumphant entrance into Jerusalem. Riding on a borrowed colt, Jesus was hailed by the crowds as they shouted blessings and praise to God. This event is reported in each of the four Gospels.
“Blessed the King who comes in the name of the Lord”...Luke 19:38
Saint Romanus the Melodist (c 490-c 556)
Composer of Hymns – Hymn 32
Seated on your throne in heaven and on a colt on earth, O Christ, You who are God, You welcomed the praise of the angels and the anthem of the children who called out to You : “Blessed are You, the one who comes to recall Adam”…
The King comes to us, humble, sitting on the foal of a donkey. He comes with haste to suffer His Passion and take sins away. Seated on a dumb animal, the Word, the Wisdom of God, wants to save all beings endowed with reason. And all humankind can contemplate, mounted on a colt, the One who rides on the cherubim (Ps 17:10) and who once bore up Elijah on a chariot of fire. “Though he was rich,” of his own will, “he became poor” (2Co 8:9) ; in choosing weakness he gives strength to all who cry to him :” Blessed are You, the one who comes to call Adam”…
You demonstrate Your strength by choosing poverty… The clothes of the disciples were a sign of this poverty but Your power was measured by the anthem of the children and the great crowd which cried : “Hosanna!”—which means : “Save!”—”Hosanna to You who are in the highest. O Almighty, save those who are humbled. Have mercy on us, in consideration of our palms, may the palms we wave move Your heart, You who come to call Adam”…
“You who are the work of my hands,” the Creator answered …, “I came to you myself. It was not the Law that was to save you since it had not created you, nor the prophets who, like you, I created. I alone can free you from your debt . I am sold for you and I free you. I am crucified for you and you are rescued from death. I die and I teach you to cry : ” Blessed are You, the one who comes to call Adam”.
Did I love the angels as much? No, it is you, the poor, whom I have cherished. I have hidden my glory and, out of my great love for you, have freely made my richness poor. For you I suffered hunger, thirst, fatigue. I roamed the mountains, ravines and valleys looking for you, my lost sheep. I took the name of Lamb to bring you back, calling you with my shepherd’s voice. And I want to give my life for you, to tear you away from claws of the wolf. I bear everything so that you may cry out : “Blessed are You, the one who comes to call Adam”.
AnaStpaul 