Palm Sunday: Jesus Comes to Jerusalem as King Elias Bejjani/April 05/2020
أحد الشعانين: دخول يسوع إلى اورشيلم كملك
The Triumphal Entry of Jesus’ story into Jerusalem appears in all four Gospel accounts (Matthew 21:1-17; Mark 11:1-11; Luke 19:29-40; John 12:12-19). The four accounts shows clearly that the Triumphal Entry was a significant event, not only to the people of Jesus’ day, but to Christians throughout history.
(Psalm118/26): “Hosanna! Blessed is He who comes in the name of Yahweh! We have blessed You out of the house of Yahweh”.
On the seventh Lantern Sunday, known as the “Palm Sunday”, The Maronite Catholic Church celebrates the Triumphal Entry of Jesus into Jerusalem.
On This day the joyful and faithful people of Jerusalem, Holy City, and their children welcomed Jesus with innocent spontaneity and declared Him a King.
During the past six Lantern weeks, the believers are ought to have renewed and rekindled their faith and reverence through genuine fasting, contemplation, penance, prayers, repentance and acts of charity.
By now they are expected to have fully understood the core of love, freedom, and justice that enable each one of them to enter into a renewed world of worshiping that encompasses the family, the congregation, the community and the nation.
Jesus entered Jerusalem for the last time to participate in the Jewish Passover Holiday. He was fully aware that the day of His suffering and death was approaching and unlike all times, He did not stop the people from declaring Him a king and accepted to enter the city while they were happily chanting : “Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord, the King of Israel!”.(John 12/13).
Some of the Pharisees in the crowd said to Jesus, “Teacher, rebuke your disciples!” “I tell you,” he replied, “if they keep quiet, the stones will cry out.” (Luke 19/39-40).
Jesus entered Jerusalem to willingly sacrifice Himself, die on the cross, redeem us and absolve our original sin.
On the Palm Sunday worshipers take their children and grandchildren to celebrate the mass and the special procession while happily they are carrying candles decorated with lilies and roses.
Men and women hold palm fronds with olive branches, and actively participate in the Palm Procession with modesty, love and joy crying out loudly: “Hosanna to the Son of David!” “Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!” “Hosanna in the highest!” (Matthew 21/09).
On the Palm Sunday through the procession, prayers, and mass worshipers renew their confidence and trust in Jesus. They beg Him for peace while committing themselves to always do their best to tame all kinds of evil hostilities, forgive others, act as peace and love advocates and defend man’s dignity and his basic human rights.
“Ephesians 2:14”: “For Christ Himself has brought peace to us. He united Jews and Gentiles into one people when, in His own body on the cross, He broke down the wall of hostility that separated us”
The name “King of Israel,” symbolizes the kingship of the Jews who were waiting for Jehovah to liberate them from the Roman occupation.
Carrying palm and olive branches and waving with them expresses joy, peace, longing for eternity and triumph. Palm branches are a sign of victory and praise, while Olive branches are a token of joy, peace and durability. It is worth mentioning that the olive tree is a symbol for peace and its oil a means of holiness immortality with which Kings, Saints, children and the sick were and still anointed.
The vital concept of this Holy entered to Jerusalem is lies in the fact that Lord was coming to Jerusalem to conquer death by death and secure eternity for the faithful.
O, Lord Jesus, strengthen our faith to feel closer to You and to Your mercy when in trouble;
O, Lord Jesus, empower us with the grace of patience and meekness to endure persecution, humiliation and rejection and always be Your followers.
O, Lord Jesus, Let Your eternal peace and gracious love prevail all over the world.
O, Lord Jesus, help and enlighten the world scientists minds and medical knowledge to be able to find very soon a vaccine and a cure for the Corona virus plague.
O, Lord Jesus, take the hands of all the sick, shower your mercy of them and lead their steps safely towards a quick recovery.
O, Lord Jesus, bless the souls of all who departed from this mortal earthly word and welcome them in your eternal mansions.
O, Lord Jesus, Bless and safeguard all countries and all the people all over the world and grant them your love and peace.
O, Lord Jesus bless and save our oppressed and occupied country, Lebanon, The Land of the Holy Cedars.
A joyous Palm Sunday to all
***** Jesus Comes to Jerusalem as King. John 12:12-19
The next day the great crowd that had come for the festival heard that
Jesus was on his way to Jerusalem. 13 They took palm branches and went out to meet him, shouting,
“Hosanna!
“Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!”
“Blessed is the king of Israel!”
Jesus found a young donkey and sat on it, as it is written:
“Do not be afraid, Daughter Zion;
see, your king is coming,
seated on a donkey’s colt.”
At first his disciples did not understand all this. Only after Jesus was glorified did they realize that these things had been written about him and that these things had been done to him.
Now the crowd that was with him when he called Lazarus from the tomb and raised him from the dead continued to spread the word. Many people, because they had heard that he had performed this sign, went out to meet him. 19 So the Pharisees said to one another, “See, this is getting us nowhere. Look how the whole world has gone after him!”
