2026-03-29 Palm Sunday

 

Opening Prayer

In the name of the Father, and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

O God of eternal glory,
you anointed Jesus, your servant,
to bear our sins,
to encourage the weary,
to raise up and restore the fallen.
Keep before our eyes
the splendour of the paschal mystery of Christ,
and, by our sharing in the passion and resurrection,
seal our lives with the victorious sign
of his obedience and exaltation.
We ask this through Christ, our liberator from sin,
who lives and reigns with you in the unity of the Holy Spirit,
holy and mighty God for ever and ever. Amen

 

Action item from last week's Practice of Faith

- Practice Lectio Divina and imagine Jesus saying, "Lazarus, come out' Imagine the Lord saying your name and asking you to come out of your tomb of disbelief.

 

Matthew 21:1-11

Gospel Passage read at the entrance into the Church during the Procession into the Church with Palms

When Jesus and the disciples drew near Jerusalem and came to Bethphage on the Mount of Olives, Jesus sent two disciples, saying to them,  "Go into the village opposite you, and immediately you will find an ass tethered, and a colt with her.
Untie them and bring them here to me. And if anyone should say anything to you, reply, 'The master has need of them.' Then he will send them at once." This happened so that what had been spoken through the prophet might be fulfilled:
Say to daughter Zion,
"Behold, your king comes to you,
meek and riding on an ass,
and on a colt, the foal of a beast of burden."
The disciples went and did as Jesus had ordered them. They brought the ass and the colt and laid their cloaks over them, and he sat upon them. The very large crowd spread their cloaks on the road, while others cut branches from the trees
and strewed them on the road. The crowds preceding him and those following
kept crying out and saying:
"Hosanna to the Son of David;
blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord;
hosanna in the highest."
And when he entered Jerusalem the whole city was shaken and asked, "Who is this?" And the crowds replied, "This is Jesus the prophet, from Nazareth in Galilee." 

A1] Significance of Jesus riding a donkey 

Riding on a donkey was in fulfillment of Prophecy of 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."
Furthermore, a horse symbolized war, conquest, and military power. A king riding a horse was coming to fight or to celebrate a bloody victory. On the other hand a donkey symbolized peace and trade. A king riding a donkey was coming on a peaceful mission or to serve his people.
In Mark 11:2 and Luke 19:30, Jesus requested a colt that had never been ridden. In Jewish tradition, an animal that had never been used for ordinary work was considered "set apart" or "holy," making it suitable for a sacred or royal purpose.

A2] Significance of Jesus being received as the Messiah 

The Crowd enthusiastically receive Jesus as their Messiah by
 - Spread their cloaks on the road - this was a traditional gesture of submission to a monarch.
 - Waved palm branches which was a symbol of Jewish nationalism and victory.
 - Shouted "Hosanna Hosanna to the Son of David!", which translates to "Save us, now!". Interestingly only Matthew adds the lineage to King David.

Matthew 26:14-27:66

The Passion of Jesus according to St Matthew

B1] Betrayal by Judas Iscariot  in Matthew 26:14-16 and later Matthew 27:3-10

One of the Twelve, who was called Judas Iscariot, went to the chief priests and said, "What are you willing to give me if I hand him over to you?" They paid him thirty pieces of silver, and from that time on he looked for an opportunity to hand him over. [Matthew 26:14-16]

 

Then Judas, his betrayer, seeing that Jesus had been condemned, deeply regretted what he had done. He returned the thirty pieces of silver* to the chief priests and elders, saying, “I have sinned in betraying innocent blood.” They said, “What is that to us? Look to it yourself.” Flinging the money into the temple, he departed and went off and hanged himself. The chief priests gathered up the money, but said, “It is not lawful to deposit this in the temple treasury, for it is the price of blood.” After consultation, they used it to buy the potter’s field as a burial place for foreigners. That is why that field even today is called the Field of Blood. Then was fulfilled what had been said through Jeremiah the prophet,* “And they took the thirty pieces of silver, the value of a man with a price on his head, a price set by some of the Israelites, and they paid it out for the potter’s field just as the Lord had commanded me.”  [Matthew 27:3-10]

Commentary: Only Matthew records the precise sum Judas was paid to betray Jesus. Recalling Zechariah 11:12-13, "Then I said to them, “If it is agreeable to you, give me my wages; and if not, refrain.” So they weighed out for my wages thirty pieces of silver. And the Lord said to me, “Throw it to the potter”—that princely price they set on me. So I took the thirty pieces of silver and threw them into the house of the Lord for the potter."

Thirty silver shekels, being the price of a lowly artisan, is the small amount  paid for the true shepherd sent by God but rejected by the people in favor of worldly leaders who turn out to be false shepherds when the twelve tribes break up into Judea and Israel. This is a foreshadowing of Jesus's own rejection as the true Shepherd sent by God. 

Judas returns the money to the chief priests who treat it as blood money and decide to but a potter's field once it has been stripped off the useful clay it is unsuitable for anything except to bury the unclean bones of unworthy foreigners like Roman soldiers

B2] Quoting Zechariah 13:7 at the Last Supper in Matthew 26:31

Then Jesus said to them, "This night all of you will have your faith in me shaken, for it is written: I will strike the shepherd, and the sheep of the flock will be dispersed; but after I have been raised up, I shall go before you to Galilee."

 

Commentary: "Strike the shepherd, and the sheep will be scattered" is a prophecy found in Zechariah 13:7, foretelling a time when God’s Son will be struck down, causing the flock to scatter. The flock represents the disciples and, in a broader sense, the people of Israel who will be scattered after the crucifixion and death of Jesus

B3] The Garden of Gethsemane - Jesus prays three times earnestly for the cup to be lifted but agrees to go ahead with the will of the Father.

Then Jesus came with them to a place called Gethsemane, and he said to his disciples, "Sit here while I go over there and pray." He took along Peter and the two sons of Zebedee, and began to feel sorrow and distress. Then he said to them, "My soul is sorrowful even to death. Remain here and keep watch with me." He advanced a little and fell prostrate in prayer, saying, "My Father, if it is possible,
let this cup pass from me; yet, not as I will, but as you will." When he returned to his disciples he found them asleep. He said to Peter, "So you could not keep watch with me for one hour? Watch and pray that you may not undergo the test. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak." Withdrawing a second time, he prayed again, "My Father, if it is not possible that this cup pass without my drinking it, your will be done!" Then he returned once more and found them asleep, for they could not keep their eyes open. He left them and withdrew again and prayed a third time, saying the same thing again. [Matthew 26:36-44]

 

Commentary: Jesus Christ went with his disciples to pray in the Mount of Olives at a place called Gethsemane, which means "oil press" in Hebrew (גַּת שְׁמָנִים or gat shemanim) before his betrayal and arrest. The term 'Gethsemane' has come to symbolize the intense spiritual, mental, and physical pressure—like olives being crushed between the stones of an olive press. So intense was the pressure he endured while submitting to his Father's will, resulting in his "sweat... falling like drops of blood". In Matthew's Gospel Jesus prays the same prayer three times. In Hebrew tradition, the count of three signifies completeness, a finality of "triple-distilled" emphasis. One time can be a mistake or slip of the tongue but three times leaves no doubt. For example in Isaiah 6:3 the seraphim (angels) in Isaiah's vision proclaim the holiness of God, crying, "Holy, holy, holy is the Lord of hosts; the whole earth is full of his glory". 

 

B4] Sleeping three times and Peter denies Jesus three times

When he returned to his disciples he found them asleep. He said to Peter, "So you could not keep watch with me for one hour? Watch and pray that you may not undergo the test. The spirit is willing, but the flesh is weak." Withdrawing a second time, he prayed again, "My Father, if it is not possible that this cup pass without my drinking it, your will be done!" Then he returned once more and found them asleep, for they could not keep their eyes open. He left them and withdrew again and prayed a third time, saying the same thing again. Then he returned to his disciples and said to them, “Are you still sleeping and taking your rest? Behold, the hour is at hand when the Son of Man is to be handed over to sinners. [Matthew 26:40-44]

Now Peter was sitting outside in the courtyard. One of the maids came over to him and said, "You too were with Jesus the Galilean." But he denied it in front of everyone, saying, "I do not know what you are talking about!" As he went out to the gate, another girl saw him and said to those who were there, "This man was with Jesus the Nazorean." Again he denied it with an oath, "I do not know the man!" A little later the bystanders came over and said to Peter, "Surely you too are one of them; even your speech gives you away." At that he began to curse and to swear, "I do not know the man." And immediately a cock crowed. Then Peter remembered the word that Jesus had spoken: "Before the cock crows you will deny me three times." He went out and began to weep bitterly. [Matthew 26:69-75]

 

Commentary: In Hebrew tradition, the count of three signifies completeness, a finality of "triple-distilled" emphasis. One time can be a mistake or slip of the tongue but three times leaves no doubt. The three Synoptic Gospels (Matthew 26, Mark 14, and Luke 22), mention that Peter, James and John slept "three times", a foreshadowing of Peter's own denial three times, indicating the absolute solitude of Jesus in his suffering. 

 

B5] Peter cuts off the ear of Malchus.Jesus rebukes Peter and heals Malchus

And behold, one of those who accompanied Jesus put his hand to his sword, drew it, and struck the high priest’s servant, cutting off his ear. Then Jesus said to him, “Put your sword back into its sheath, for all who take the sword will perish by the sword. Do you think that I cannot call upon my Father and he will not provide me at this moment with more than twelve legions of angels? But then how would the scriptures be fulfilled which say that it must come to pass in this way?” [Matthew 26:51-54]

 

Commentary: While all four Gospels record that one of Jesus’ followers cut off the ear of the high priest’s servant, John is the only one who identifies the attacker as Peter and the victim as Malchus, a servant of Caiaphas, the High Priest.
Furthermore only the Gospel of Luke (22:51) — written by a physician — is the only one that records the miraculous healing. Luke notes that Jesus touched the man's ear and healed him immediately.

 

B6] Jesus refers to himself as the Son of Man, which was blasphemous to the Chief Priest and elders.

From now on you will see 'the Son of Man seated at the right hand of the Power' and 'coming on the clouds of heaven.'" [Matthew 26:54] 

 

Commentary: In the Hebrew language, the phrase ben-adam (Son of Man) literally means "human" but in Biblical terms it has a deeper significance. The first is to show mortality and lowliness compared to the transcendence of God, as when the Prophet Ezekiel was addressed as "Son of Man" by God himself. But there is a prophetic connection in Daniel 7:13–14 about the Messiah, "I saw in the night visions, and behold, with the clouds of heaven there came one like a Son of Man, and he came to the Ancient of Days... And to him was given dominion and glory and a kingdom, that all peoples, nations, and languages should serve him..." By calling himself the "Son of Man," Jesus was claiming to be this apocalyptic figure 

 

B7] Who do you want to release?

Now on the occasion of the feast the governor was accustomed to release to the crowd one prisoner whom they wished. And at that time they had a notorious prisoner called Barabbas. So when they had assembled, Pilate said to them, "Which one do you want me to release to you, Barabbas, or Jesus called Christ?" [Matthew 27:15-17]

 

Commentary: Pilate asked the crowd to choose between a convicted insurrectionist and murderer called Barabbas (or son of Abba or Son of the Father) and Jesus called Christ, the Son of the Heavenly Father. The crowd chose to release Barabbas and we do not hear of him again, except in fictional writings.

 

B8] Pilate's wife sends him a note warning him not to treat Jesus harshly

While he was still seated on the bench, his wife sent him a message, “Have nothing to do with that righteous man. I suffered much in a dream today because of him.” [Matthew 27:19]

 

Commentary: The Gospel of Matthew (27:19), while not mentioning her by name of Claudia Procula, records one of the most dramatic "behind-the-scenes" moments of the trial of Jesus. While Pilate was sitting on the judgment seat, his wife sent him an urgent message: "Have nothing to do with that innocent man, for I have suffered a great deal today in a dream because of him.". In the Hebrew tradition, God communicates directly with humans through dreams (similar to the dreams of Joseph asking him to take Mary as his wife or to flee to Egypt etc). Claudia's dream message serves as a final "check" on Pilate’s conscience, marking Jesus as legally and spiritually "innocent" in the eyes of God right before the sentence is passed.

B9] Jesus cries out to his Father, 'why have you forsaken me?"

And about three o’clock Jesus cried out in a loud voice, “Eli, Eli, lema sabachthani?”* which means, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” [Matthew 27:46]

Commentary: This quote has been much debated by Biblical scholars who offer three possible explanations

1. The Prophetic Lens: Quoting Psalm 22 - by quoting the first line of the psalm, Jesus is recounting the whole psalm that starts with a cry of pain (with total abandonment and physical suffering, describing hands and feet being pierced and clothes being gambled for) but ends in triumph (with the sufferer being rescued by God and all the nations turning to worship Him.)
2. The Theological Lens: The "Great Exchange": At this moment the sinless Jesus takes on the sins of the whole world causing separation from the most Holy God the Father. For the first time in eternity, the Son experienced the spiritual darkness and isolation that human sin cause.
3. The Human Lens: Authentic Suffering showing Jesus' human side of frailty and suffering feeling abandoned by God during times of extreme trial. In doing so, Jesus "sanctified" our tendency to question and cry out to God in prayer when we face desperation.

B10] Joseph of Arimathea

When it was evening, there came a rich man from Arimathea named Joseph, who was himself a disciple of Jesus. He went to Pilate and asked for the body of Jesus; then Pilate ordered it to be handed over. Taking the body, Joseph wrapped it in clean linen and laid it in his new tomb that he had hewn in the rock. Then he rolled a huge stone across the entrance to the tomb and departed. [Matthew 27:57-60] 

 

Commentary: Mark 15:43 and Luke 23:50 both identify Joseph of Arimathea as a council member of the influential 70-member Sanhedrin. Luke says he used his influential position to get Pontius Pilate to release the body of Jesus for burial before the start of the Sabbath. This conversion from being a secret follower for fear of the Jews, to sticking out his neck is very remarkable.
Furthermore, according to Jewish law, Deuteronomy 21.23, the body of Jesus had to be buried before the Sabbath, which began just three hours after the death of Jesus at 3 pm. There was a real cost to touching a dead body - one was deemed unclean for seven whole days, meaning Joseph (and Nicodemus along with the unnamed women and disciples) could not take part in the Passover rituals.

B11] Sealing of the Tomb

The next day, the one following the day of preparation, the chief priests and the Pharisees gathered before Pilate and said, "Sir, we remember that this impostor while still alive said, 'After three days I will be raised up.' Give orders, then, that the grave be secured until the third day, lest his disciples come and steal him and say to the people, 'He has been raised from the dead.' This last imposture would be worse than the first." Pilate said to them, "The guard is yours; go, secure it as best you can." So they went and secured the tomb by fixing a seal to the stone and setting the guard. [Matthew 27:62-66]

 

Commentary: Matthew adds that a big stone was rolled in front of the entrance. Stones, usually weighing a ton or more, were chiseled into a coin shape, and a slot was cut for the stone to roll in and seal the tomb.
As a precaution, the Sanhedrin asked Pilot to place guards outside the tomb to prevent any foul play in lieu of Jesus' prediction that he would be resurrected in three days. Furthermore, they placed a Roman seal, most likely a cord stretched across the stone sealing the tomb and fastened with clay or wax. Breaking a Roman seal was a capital offense, carrying the death penalty. 
 

Practice of Faith for this week

- Attend Holy Week services 

- Give yourself to others: visit the lonely, comfort the suffering and give aid to the poor

- Forgive someone who  has hurt you. Seek forgiveness if you have hurt someone. 

 

 

Closing Prayer

The Anima Christi (Soul of Christ) - Anonymous
Soul of Christ, sanctify me. 
Body of Christ, save me. 
Blood of Christ, inebriate me. 
Water from the side of Christ, wash me. 
Passion of Christ, strengthen me. 
O good Jesus, hear me. 
Within Thy wounds hide me. 
Suffer me not to be separated from Thee. 
From the malignant enemy, defend me. 
In the hour of my death, call me and bid me come to Thee, that with Thy saints I may praise Thee, forever and ever. 
Amen.

Leader: "May the Lord bless us, protect us from all evil, and bring us to everlasting life."
All: "Amen."