The Sunday of the Passion: Palm Sunday

Almighty and everliving God, in your tender love for the human race you sent your Son our Savior Jesus Christ to take upon him our nature, and to suffer death upon the cross, giving us the example of his great humility: Mercifully grant that we may walk in the way of his suffering, and also share in his resurrection; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen. (BCP 219)

As the official title for this coming Sunday shows, this coming Sunday is a Sunday with multiple parts. We celebrate Palm Sunday with Jesus' triumphal entry into Jerusalem and we listen to the story of Jesus' Passion in the dramatic reading of the Gospel story. Palm Sunday starts the Holy Week commemorations and celebrations, when we walk with Christ the way of the cross, towards death and ultimately resurrection.

Every year we come to this Sunday with mixed feelings. Lent always seems to go by quickly, even though forty days seems to go so slowly. We come to Palm Sunday excited about the coming story, sad because of its pain and humiliation, confused as to the whiplash of triumph and death, and hopeful as ever about the coming resurrection and new life.

By going through the story multiple times in the next week, we have time to go deeper into and understand more of what happens. By tracing Jesus' footsteps, we walk with the early disciples and learn with our hearts, minds, and souls what God has done for us in giving us Jesus. Come and listen, hear the story of God's great love for us.