Palm Sunday (Entry of our Lord into Jerusalem)

Palm Sunday is one of the major feasts of the Lord, the day on which our Lord Jesus Christ entered Jerusalem as a King, riding on a donkey and a colt, the foal of a donkey. The crowds joyfully proclaimed, "Hosanna, Son of David" as they greeted him with palm and olive branches. The word "Hosanna" means "save us." The Jews were anticipating an earthly king to save them from their Roman overlords and mistakenly believed our Lord Jesus Christ came for that purpose. However, our Lord came for a higher purpose that could be achieved, not by a mere man, but by the Son of God Himself, perfect in His Divinity and perfect in His humanity. His purpose was to save mankind from sin and its consequence, which is death.

This week begins with the entrance of Christ to rule Jerusalem, riding on a donkey and ends by Him ruling from the Cross on Golgotha where He draws all to Him—all the children to rule with Him in the Kingdom of His Father.

Quote: “And the crowd that went ahead of him and those that followed were shouting, ‘Hosanna to the Son of David.’ ” This phrase (namely, “Hosanna to the Son of David”), in passing from the Hebrew language to the Greek language, is translated as “praise, or a psalm, to the Son of David.” As for Jesus, it does not suit a man to be honored or praised by a psalm. But such does suit him alone who is by nature God, as it is said: “He has placed in my mouth a new song, praise to our God” and “I will sing to my God, as long as I live.”

Quote Author: St. Severus of Antioch, Cathedral Sermons, Homily 20

Third Doxology for Palm Sunday.mp3

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