A Palm Sunday Thought to Start Holy Week Off Right
This past week we first discussed "standing out" at work, then ruminated about those times when things don't go our way. For most of us, life has a way of mixing great success with disappointment and failure. That's certainly been the case in my life. Maybe that's been your experience too. There are two contrasting phrases that capture this well: "victory snatched from the jaws of defeat," and, "defeat snatched from the jaws of victory." While we all prefer the former, the latter usually isn't far behind.
Palm Sunday reminds us that we're not alone here. It gives us the greatest example of defeat snatched form the jaws of victory. Our Lord rode into Jerusalem to an adoring crowd shouting "Hosannahs." Within a week he was arrested, tortured, and hung on a Cross. It certainly puts the ups and downs of our lives in perspective.
Our liturgy reflects this as it begins with the procession of the palms, accompanied with Hosannahs. Then comes the Gospel: The Passion of Our Lord Jesus Christ. Entering into our Palm Sunday liturgy with our minds alert, and our hearts open to the graces of this day, we can then leave Mass ready for Holy Week.
Although many of our parishes that exclusively celebrate the Novus Ordo don't always offer the best musical accompaniment to these, we can count our blessings that with modern resources like Youtube we can access much of the treasury of glorious and inspiring music that our ancestors enjoyed in Palm Sunday's past.
First, the great "All Glory Laud and Honor," typically sung only on Palm Sunday:
Now the Latin chant, "Gloria Laus," sung at Masses in the extraordinary form, upon which that wonderful hymn is based.
Finally, after the triumph of His entry to Jerusalem, the great hymn "O Sacred Head" to complete the sequence we shall all witness during this Holy Week:
Palm Sunday reminds us that we're not alone here. It gives us the greatest example of defeat snatched form the jaws of victory. Our Lord rode into Jerusalem to an adoring crowd shouting "Hosannahs." Within a week he was arrested, tortured, and hung on a Cross. It certainly puts the ups and downs of our lives in perspective.
Our liturgy reflects this as it begins with the procession of the palms, accompanied with Hosannahs. Then comes the Gospel: The Passion of Our Lord Jesus Christ. Entering into our Palm Sunday liturgy with our minds alert, and our hearts open to the graces of this day, we can then leave Mass ready for Holy Week.
Although many of our parishes that exclusively celebrate the Novus Ordo don't always offer the best musical accompaniment to these, we can count our blessings that with modern resources like Youtube we can access much of the treasury of glorious and inspiring music that our ancestors enjoyed in Palm Sunday's past.
First, the great "All Glory Laud and Honor," typically sung only on Palm Sunday:
Now the Latin chant, "Gloria Laus," sung at Masses in the extraordinary form, upon which that wonderful hymn is based.
Finally, after the triumph of His entry to Jerusalem, the great hymn "O Sacred Head" to complete the sequence we shall all witness during this Holy Week:
We adore Thee, O Christ, and we bless Thee.
Because by Thy holy Cross, Thou has redeemed the world.
Comments