A Palm Sunday Thought to Start Holy Week Off Right
Palm Sunday begins Holy Week. If nothing else, let's acknowledge that "business as usual" ends, starting today. After five weeks of Lent, we've been softened up, so to speak. Now it's time to open our minds, our hearts, and our souls to the special graces that flow during Palm Sunday and every day this week culminating with Holy Thursday, Good Friday, and Holy Saturday.
With that, we'll let The Inner Life of the Soul carry us all into this holiest week of the year.
"For centuries upon centuries, as Holy Week returns, the Church has flung herself at the foot of the crucifix, and told anew the story, never to be wholly told, of an infinite love ransoming finite man. Naturally and fittingly our minds dwell on the suffering and the sorrow; yet, as the years go by, we begin to feel that deeper in the Church's mind than the anguish of her God and the crime of men, is the thought of her God's glory and of man's redemption."
Holy Week isn't just another string of days just as the Passion of Our Lord Jesus Christ at the Gospel during Mass on Palm Sunday isn't just a string of words. Whether read or sung, don't let your mind wander during the reading of the Passion. Accompany Our Lord throughout His ordeal. Guided by those wise words from The Inner Life of the Soul, we acknowledge that our sins caused the terrible anguish of Our Dear Savior. We recall that He died that all of us might live forever for - and ultimately in the Presence of - the greater glory of God.
But there's more for us to consider as the Mass for Palm Sunday unfolds. Jesus' triumphant entry into Jerusalem on a donkey reminds us of His Kingship. And despite the suffering and death He would face only a few days after this triumph, He would remain King, even as He hung on the Cross.
"It flashes upon us that, hidden behind the dark curtain of the shame and the pain, a King has gone forth to the battle, riding the strange white steed of the Apocalyptic vision; the name of the King, Faithful and True, is the Word of God, and his eyes are as a flame of fire, and on His garment an on His thigh is written: King of kings, and Lord of lords."
We learn, in St. John's version of the Passion, that His Kingship is not of this world. This King, who could command the wind, the seas, Who indeed created the entire Universe, chose to give His life for us. All the kings and rulers of the earth use their power to command us. Our King, whose power dwarfs all these, dies for us. Why does this Almighty King chose death? Yes, we know He did this. But have we really considered why?
"We are looking upon the mystery of God's love for man. Do you know what such love is? A mother's love is only a shadow of it; a bridegroom's only a type. Hear what He said Himself to St. Catherine of Genoa: 'Ah, if you knew how I love a soul! But this will be the last thing you will know in this world, for to apprehend it would kill you.'"
With Palm Sunday we enter into the story of that Love. So many great artists, writers, and composers, have only managed a fleeting glance, the slightest touch, in their attempts to portray that Love.
"When we think of this, it almost stops our breathing. What marvel that there is magnificence in the Passion, when there is such magnificence in God's love!"
And so we begin Holy Week. Will we allow this extraordinary Love to penetrate our hearts, our minds, our souls? Will we see the glory of His redemption in His suffering and death? Will we finally acknowledge this King who dies for us to be our true Lord and Savior, Who gives our life its sole purpose and meaning?
During this holiest week of the year, what other choice is there? Business as usual? I don't think so.
Happy Palm Sunday!
And, as we have throughout Lent, we end with the traditional prayer we say at each Station of the Cross.
With that, we'll let The Inner Life of the Soul carry us all into this holiest week of the year.
"For centuries upon centuries, as Holy Week returns, the Church has flung herself at the foot of the crucifix, and told anew the story, never to be wholly told, of an infinite love ransoming finite man. Naturally and fittingly our minds dwell on the suffering and the sorrow; yet, as the years go by, we begin to feel that deeper in the Church's mind than the anguish of her God and the crime of men, is the thought of her God's glory and of man's redemption."
Holy Week isn't just another string of days just as the Passion of Our Lord Jesus Christ at the Gospel during Mass on Palm Sunday isn't just a string of words. Whether read or sung, don't let your mind wander during the reading of the Passion. Accompany Our Lord throughout His ordeal. Guided by those wise words from The Inner Life of the Soul, we acknowledge that our sins caused the terrible anguish of Our Dear Savior. We recall that He died that all of us might live forever for - and ultimately in the Presence of - the greater glory of God.
But there's more for us to consider as the Mass for Palm Sunday unfolds. Jesus' triumphant entry into Jerusalem on a donkey reminds us of His Kingship. And despite the suffering and death He would face only a few days after this triumph, He would remain King, even as He hung on the Cross.
"It flashes upon us that, hidden behind the dark curtain of the shame and the pain, a King has gone forth to the battle, riding the strange white steed of the Apocalyptic vision; the name of the King, Faithful and True, is the Word of God, and his eyes are as a flame of fire, and on His garment an on His thigh is written: King of kings, and Lord of lords."
We learn, in St. John's version of the Passion, that His Kingship is not of this world. This King, who could command the wind, the seas, Who indeed created the entire Universe, chose to give His life for us. All the kings and rulers of the earth use their power to command us. Our King, whose power dwarfs all these, dies for us. Why does this Almighty King chose death? Yes, we know He did this. But have we really considered why?
"We are looking upon the mystery of God's love for man. Do you know what such love is? A mother's love is only a shadow of it; a bridegroom's only a type. Hear what He said Himself to St. Catherine of Genoa: 'Ah, if you knew how I love a soul! But this will be the last thing you will know in this world, for to apprehend it would kill you.'"
With Palm Sunday we enter into the story of that Love. So many great artists, writers, and composers, have only managed a fleeting glance, the slightest touch, in their attempts to portray that Love.
"When we think of this, it almost stops our breathing. What marvel that there is magnificence in the Passion, when there is such magnificence in God's love!"
And so we begin Holy Week. Will we allow this extraordinary Love to penetrate our hearts, our minds, our souls? Will we see the glory of His redemption in His suffering and death? Will we finally acknowledge this King who dies for us to be our true Lord and Savior, Who gives our life its sole purpose and meaning?
During this holiest week of the year, what other choice is there? Business as usual? I don't think so.
Happy Palm Sunday!
And, as we have throughout Lent, we end with the traditional prayer we say at each Station of the Cross.
We adore Thee O Christ, and we bless Thee,
Because by Thy holy Cross Thou hast redeemed the world.
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