Ricochet is the best place on the internet to discuss the issues of the day, either through commenting on posts or writing your own for our active and dynamic community in a fully moderated environment. In addition, the Ricochet Audio Network offers over 50 original podcasts with new episodes released every day.
Is Palm Sunday Still Honored?
Today is a holy day among Christians, at least it used to be. Palm Sunday was always featured in headlines and honored. The only headline I saw this morning was a bombing in Indonesia during a Palm Sunday Mass, with fatalities. Does the world still stop on this day, and think about its significance?
In Matthew’s recounting of the entrance into Jerusalem, Matthew specifically draws attention to a number of Old Testament prophecies being fulfilled in Jesus.
In the first verse of Matthew’s recounting of the entrance into Jerusalem, we hear that Jesus and the disciples were in Bethpage. Bethpage is one of the last villages on the road from Jericho to Jerusalem, and is located on the Mount of Olives.
The village is significant in the context of Old Testament prophecy, as Zechariah prophesied that this would be where God’s kingship over the entire world would ultimately be revealed (Zechariah 14:4-9). This is especially important to remember in light of the great kingship prophecies that would be fulfilled as Jesus continued into the city of Jerusalem.
Matthew explicitly quotes Zechariah 9:9: “Exult greatly, O daughter Zion! Shout for joy, O daughter Jerusalem! Behold: Your king is coming to you, a just savior is he, humble, and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey” (see Matthew 21:5). Jesus is displaying kingship, but he is the king of peace, of simplicity, of humility.”
If ever the world needed to remember it needs a savior, The Savior, it is in the times we are now living.
Happy Palm Sunday!
Published in General
Our pastor’s homily was on hope. He noted that this is the second Holy Week disrupted by COVID [fear]. The crowd that greeted Jesus with joy at the east gate of Jerusalem was similarly taxed by life and eager to welcome a savior. Then he spoke of Peter and the most loyal disciples scattered by fear.
We must let nothing scatter us, nor cause us to adopt popular lies. Hope is here among us and in our hearts. Christ is not absent in our trials.
Evangelicalism in the US has robbed American Christianity of her Holy Days.
High Church Protestants and Catholics still make a big deal of it. Wealthier/larger churches will start their week long passion with the gospel reading outside with a procession of the cross into the church with the congregation waving palm branches. Some may include a donkey.
But the predominant Christian culture in America is evangelicalism and aside from Christmas and Easter, they don’t differentiate one Sunday from another.
If you really want the fullness of Holy Week, find a Catholic or high prot that does all the services. It is a wonderful week.
Thank you for this post.
Thank you for reminding me. It was the beginning of holy week when I was kid. I will try to make it so again this year
Front Seat Cat, I thought the same thing this morning. I’d heard absolutely nothing about Palm Sunday this year, to the degree that I had to ask my wife, upon realization that next Sunday is Easter, “Hey wait, is today Palm Sunday?” She confirmed to me that it was. I hadn’t even heard any talk about Palm Sunday at church this year. In today’s church service I don’t even remember the words being spoken until after the service was over, when we were told there were palm branches for us to take home on our way out of the church. All in all, this was the oddest Palm Sunday I think I have ever experienced.
The Church of the Holy Sepulchre in Jerusalem is re-opening also:
https://www.jpost.com/israel-news/holy-sepulchre-church-opens-for-palm-sunday-we-feel-more-hopeful-663427