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Palm Sunday
Through the lines of HOSANNA Celebration:
The whole of Israel was waiting for the arrival of their redeemer, the king from
the tribe of David. For centuries the Jews were waiting for their redemption
from the political bondage of foreign powers, like the Greeks and Romans who
were ruling them for long years. They expected their redemption through the
Anointed one (Messiah) of Yahweh. Many Jews have seen that how Jesus went around
and performed so many miracles. As the climax of all these wonders He raised
Lazarus from the dead. Seeing all these and recognizing him as the Messiah, His
disciples and the believers greeted Him with Hosanna while he was coming to
Jerusalem. Crowds of people carpeted the roads with their cloaks, and some cut
branches from the trees to spread in his path. Then the crowd that went ahead
and the others that came behind raised the shout: " Hosanna to the Son of David!
Blessings on him who comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the Heavens"
(Mathew 21.9). Seeing him coming on the donkey they might have remembered "the
prophesy which says, Tell the daughter of Zion, " Here is your king, who comes
to you in gentleness, riding on an ass, riding on the foal of a beast of
burden." (Mathew 21.4) By singing Hosanna to Him they all accepted him as their
king. While celebrating the festival of Hosanna we are recollecting and again
celebrating what happened in Jerusalem in those days. We are also accepting Him
as our Lord and Savior.
The celebration of Hosanna is not simply remembrance of the past events. It is
an active recollection and lively participation also. Recalling the past events
the Church which sojourns in this world is looking forward for the glorious
Second Coming of the Lord. While singing Hosanna using fresh palm leaves they
are joining the crowd who were robed in whites and had palms in their hands. St.
John, having the Vision, writes in the Revelation, "After this I looked and saw
a vast throng, which no one could count, from every nation, of all tribes,
peoples and languages standing in front of the throne and before the Lamb. They
were robed in white and had palms in their hands, and they shouted together:
Victory to our God who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb. And all the Angels
stood round the throne and the elders and the four living creatures, and they
fell on their faces before the throne and worshiped God, crying: Amen Praise and
glory and wisdom, thanksgiving and honor, power and might, Be to our God forever
and ever! Amen. These are the men who passed through great ordeal; they have
washed their robes and made them white in the blood of the Lamb"(Rev.7.9-17)
During this Hosanna celebration let us accept Christ as our Lord, Savior and
King. He is humble and meek and coming towards the New Jerusalem or the dwelling
place of the glorious King which is our heart itself (1Cor.3.16). Let us open
its gates wide and cover its roads with the cloaks of our good deeds for His
Great Entrance. Let us remember His Glorious Second Coming and prepare us with
white robes and simple Hosanna leaves. Let us remember our responsibility
towards the whole world and the entire nature and bring it before God as good,
acceptable and perfect offering to the Lord our God. In His Steps - A Lenten Series
by Prince Mathew
Bible Reading Passages:
Hosanna/Palm Sunday
Midnight
Morning
Before Holy Qurbana
Holy Qurbana
For Procession (at the Western Entrance)
For the Blessing of the Palm leaves
Gospel Readings:
Matthew 21:1-17 (KJV)
And when they drew nigh unto Jerusalem, and were come to Bethphage, unto the mount of Olives, then sent Jesus two disciples,
Saying unto them, Go into the village over against you, and straightway ye shall find an ass tied, and a colt with her: loose them, and bring them unto me.
And if any man say ought unto you, ye shall say, The Lord hath need of them; and straightway he will send them.
All this was done, that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, saying,
Tell ye the daughter of Sion, Behold, thy King cometh unto thee, meek, and sitting upon an ass, and a colt the foal of an ass.
And the disciples went, and did as Jesus commanded them,
And brought the ass, and the colt, and put on them their clothes, and they set him thereon.
And a very great multitude spread their garments in the way; others cut down branches from the trees, and strawed them in the way.
And the multitudes that went before, and that followed, cried, saying, Hosanna to the son of David: Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord; Hosanna in the highest.
And when he was come into Jerusalem, all the city was moved, saying, Who is this?
And the multitude said, This is Jesus the prophet of Nazareth of Galilee.
And Jesus went into the temple of God, and cast out all them that sold and bought in the temple, and overthrew the tables of the moneychangers, and the seats of them that sold doves,
And said unto them, It is written, My house shall be called the house of prayer; but ye have made it a den of thieves.
And the blind and the lame came to him in the temple; and he healed them.
And when the chief priests and scribes saw the wonderful things that he did, and the children crying in the temple, and saying, Hosanna to the son of David; they were sore displeased,
And said unto him, Hearest thou what these say? And Jesus saith unto them, Yea; have ye never read, Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings thou hast perfected praise?
And he left them, and went out of the city into Bethany; and he lodged there.
Mark 11:1-11 (KJV)
And when they came nigh to Jerusalem, unto Bethphage and Bethany, at the mount of Olives, he sendeth forth two of his disciples,
And saith unto them, Go your way into the village over against you: and as soon as ye be entered into it, ye shall find a colt tied, whereon never man sat; loose him, and bring him.
And if any man say unto you, Why do ye this? say ye that the Lord hath need of him; and straightway he will send him hither.
And they went their way, and found the colt tied by the door without in a place where two ways met; and they loose him.
And certain of them that stood there said unto them, What do ye, loosing the colt?
And they said unto them even as Jesus had commanded: and they let them go.
And they brought the colt to Jesus, and cast their garments on him; and he sat upon him.
And many spread their garments in the way: and others cut down branches off the trees, and strawed them in the way.
And they that went before, and they that followed, cried, saying, Hosanna; Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord:
Blessed be the kingdom of our father David, that cometh in the name of the Lord: Hosanna in the highest.
And Jesus entered into Jerusalem, and into the temple: and when he had looked round about upon all things, and now the eventide was come, he went out unto Bethany with the twelve.
Luke 19:28-44 (KJV)
And when he had thus spoken, he went before, ascending up to Jerusalem.
And it came to pass, when he was come nigh to Bethphage and Bethany, at the mount called the mount of Olives, he sent two of his disciples,
Saying, Go ye into the village over against you; in the which at your entering ye shall find a colt tied, whereon yet never man sat: loose him, and bring him hither.
And if any man ask you, Why do ye loose him? thus shall ye say unto him, Because the Lord hath need of him.
And they that were sent went their way, and found even as he had said unto them.
And as they were loosing the colt, the owners thereof said unto them, Why loose ye the colt?
And they said, The Lord hath need of him.
And they brought him to Jesus: and they cast their garments upon the colt, and they set Jesus thereon.
And as he went, they spread their clothes in the way.
And when he was come nigh, even now at the descent of the mount of Olives, the whole multitude of the disciples began to rejoice and praise God with a loud voice for all the mighty works that they had seen;
Saying, Blessed be the King that cometh in the name of the Lord: peace in heaven, and glory in the highest.
And some of the Pharisees from among the multitude said unto him, Master, rebuke thy disciples.
And he answered and said unto them, I tell you that, if these should hold their peace, the stones would immediately cry out.
And when he was come near, he beheld the city, and wept over it,
Saying, If thou hadst known, even thou, at least in this thy day, the things which belong unto thy peace! but now they are hid from thine eyes.
For the days shall come upon thee, that thine enemies shall cast a trench about thee, and compass thee round, and keep thee in on every side,
And shall lay thee even with the ground, and thy children within thee; and they shall not leave in thee one stone upon another; because thou knewest not the time of thy visitation.
John 12:12-19 (KJV)
On the next day much people that were come to the feast, when they heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem,
Took branches of palm trees, and went forth to meet him, and cried, Hosanna: Blessed is the King of Israel that cometh in the name of the Lord.
And Jesus, when he had found a young ass, sat thereon; as it is written,
Fear not, daughter of Sion: behold, thy King cometh, sitting on an ass's colt.
These things understood not his disciples at the first: but when Jesus was glorified, then remembered they that these things were written of him, and that they had done these things unto him.
The people therefore that was with him when he called Lazarus out of his grave, and raised him from the dead, bare record.
For this cause the people also met him, for that they heard that he had done this miracle.
The Pharisees therefore said among themselves, Perceive ye how ye prevail nothing? behold, the world is gone after him.
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