Palm Sunday of the Passion of the Lord, The Gateway to the Paschal Mystery

Palm Sunday of the Passion of the Lord: The beginning of the Holy Week, leading to Easter. by Rev Fr. Godfrey CYIZA, JCD, - Caretaker KKCRA.
Today is a commemoration of the Triumphant entry of Jesus into Jerusalem ahead of his passion and death. On this day, we are called to take a flashback on how we have fulfilled our Lenten observance, and then prepare for the intense celebrations of the Holy Week and Easter festivities. At the beginning of the procession, outside the Church, we shall listen to the following instruction by the priest: 
“Dear brothers and sisters, since the beginning of Lent until now we have prepared our hearts by penance and charitable works. Today we gather together to herald with the whole Church the beginning of the celebration of our Lord's paschal mystery, that is to say, of his Passion and Resurrection. For it was to accomplish this mystery that he entered his own city of Jerusalem. Therefore, with all faith and devotion, let us commemorate the Lord's entry into the city for our salvation, following in his footsteps, so that being made by his grace partakers of the Cross, we may have a share also in his resurrection and in his life”. 
It is therefore pertinent to emphasize the spiritual significance of Lent, that leads us to passion Sunday, which begins the Holy week, in which mysteries of Jesus last moments of His earthly life are celebrated, and culminates into the celebrations of Easter.

Lent Season.
The 40 days of Lenten observance are over. Lent prepares us to celebrate the great mysteries of the passion, death and resurrection of our saviour. It is an opportune moment for a metanoia (Greek derivative meaning “changing one’s mind, conversion or repentance”). During this time the faithful are invited to prayer, fasting and almsgiving as three Lenten pillars. These three pillars orient the Christian towards a blossoming faith in Christ, preparing him/her, to worthily participate and celebrate the great mysteries of our redemption. As we come to the end of the Lenten period, may our hearts be ardent to seek, serve and love Christ so that we may fruitfully celebrate Easter. 

Passion Sunday
Today’s commemoration is also called Palm Sunday. On this feast day, Jesus triumphantly entered Jerusalem and was proclaimed as King. It represents the gate through which we enter Holy Week. We recall Jesus welcomed into Jerusalem by a great crowd, singing Hosana, laying down their cloaks, waving palm and olive branches. This symbolised the joy and anticipation of the arrival of the King of Peace. 
Palm Sunday’s liturgy is characterised by the theme of passion of Christ. It a day that offers us an interpretation of our life and destiny. All of our sufferings and grief find a response in Jesus. In the face of every question regarding why there is suffering, why there is death, why there are so many choices that are incomprehensible to the human mind, Jesus does not give us vague responses. With His life, he has told us that He is with us, at our sides. Until the end. We will never be alone – neither in our joys nor in our sufferings. Jesus is with us. It is a celebration that is understood through silence and prayer rather than through words, so as to enter into it with the heart. 
Palm Sunday reminds us that Christ goes out to meet his death freely as Son of God. Jesus enters Jerusalem to give fulfilment to the mystery of his death and resurrection. We therefore, ask for the grace to follow and walk with Christ on the way of the cross in order to participate in the mystery of his resurrection.  The liturgy of the word centres on the mystery of the cross. This time, the kingship of Christ is not represented by the acclamations of the crowd with palm and olive branches, but rather the Cross on which He hangs. By His Cross he saves the world. 
Let us also go together with Him who hastens towards the Passion, and let us imitate those who went to meet him. Not, however, to lay before him along his way olive or palm branches, but to bow down ourselves in humble adoration and deep worship at the feet of his cross. In this way, we welcome the Word of God in our lives who becomes one of us to lift us and bring us back to Himself. 
Holy Week
Palm Sunday ushers us into Holy Week. It is the last week leading to Easter. It constitutes the core of the liturgical year in which the Church celebrates the mysteries of our redemption. It’s an intense spiritual moment in which the Church focuses on Jesus' last earthly days. The days of Holy week accompany the faithful to an increasingly collected and attentive focus on the life of the Lord. From the readings and liturgies of the days, the mysteries of our faith are elucidated: 
Holy Monday leads to the quiet of Bathany and the love of the home of Lazarus and the sisters Mary and Martha. 
Holy Tuesday, Jesus poses to each one of us a key question: will you lay down your life for me (Jn, 13, 38) 
Holy Wednesday, in the context of Judas betrayal, Jesus shows His obedience to the Fathers plan, as a meek lamb led to the slaughter house. 
Holy Thursday, in the mass of the Lord’s supper (cena Domini), the Church commemorates the Institution of the Eucharist, of the priesthood and the commandment of fraternal Charity.
Good Friday (passione Domini), the Church welcomes the silence before the Cross. On this day, Jesus is on the tree of the Cross, the fruit of our salvation and on its redemptive power. 
Holy Saturday, is the day of great silence because the King “rests or sleeps”. The church turns its attention to the tomb, reflecting on the mystery of death and thee hope of the resurrection. 

Easter 
Easter concludes the Holy Week. It is the greatest feast, (feast per excellence) of Christian life. It is the most important and solemn feast in the liturgical year.  It is the peak/climax of the Easter Triduum (the three days from Holy Thursdays Lords supper mass to the Easter proclamation at the Vigil Mass), that recall the passion, death and resurrection of our Lord. It is the day of the Lord, commemorated every Sunday of the liturgical year (Sacrosacntum Concilium 106).
Celebrating this day, every believer is called to renew their allegiance to Christ, to allow themselves to be touched by the power of his resurrection, and to live as children of light. The Easter joy, which the liturgy announces and sings, is not a fleeting emotion, but a time of grace that the Church celebrates for eight days (as one great day), and until Pentecost day (50 days after easter). 

In conclusion, I invite your all, dear KKCRA family, to listen attentively, and actively participate in the liturgical celebrations during the Holy Week. Holy Week unveils the core tenets of our faith and the great mysteries of our redemption. May our faith, in this time, be nourished and inspired to serve, and love the Lord worthily. May we all be filled with easter Joy and be transformed into Easter Christians. 
A blessed Holy Week and Joyful Easter to You All.    
Fr. Godfrey CYIZA, JCD, - Caretaker. 

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