March 24*: Palm Sunday

Lent is nearly over, and Easter is almost here! Today it is Palm Sunday, when Christians all over the world celebrate what’s best known as the triumphal entry. A week before his crucifixion, Jesus arrived in Jerusalem, riding on a donkey, and the people rejoiced:

“A very large crowd spread their cloaks on the road, while others cut branches from the trees and spread them on the road. The crowds that went ahead of him and those that followed shouted,

          “Hosanna to the Son of David!”
“Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!”
“Hosanna in the highest heaven!””

Matthew 21:8-9

There are many different traditions related to Palm Sunday, but they all have this rejoicing in common with each other. Many groups wave palms or other branches or even throw flowers as they call out “Hosanna!”  Hosanna is an ancient Hebrew expression of praise, literally meaning “Save!”

*Palm Sunday is celebrated every year on the Sunday before Easter, which, as I’m sure you know, moves around each year. In 2012, Palm Sunday was April 1, but in 2013, it’s March 24.

April 1: Palm Sunday

“Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!”

   “Hosanna in the highest!”

Matthew 21:9b

Today, one week before Easter, Christians around the world commemorate the “triumphal entry,” when Jesus rode enter Jerusalem on a young donkey and the crowds praised him. We call it Palm Sunday after the palm branches they waved and placed at the donkey’s feet. Christians in many traditions will wave a small olive branch during services today, and shout “Hosanna” just like those men and women of 2000 years ago, more or less.

 Psalms 120-133 are known as psalms of ascent, because they were sung by generations of Israelites on their way to Jerusalem for one of the feasts. Jerusalem is on high ground, surrounded by mountains, so every one who traveled there literally ascended or went “up” to Jerusalem. Since Jesus was going up to Jerusalem for the Passover Feast on that first “Palm Sunday,” I’m also going to include a bit of one of the psalms of ascent.

 Those who trust in the LORD are like Mount Zion,
which cannot be shaken but endures forever.
As the mountains surround Jerusalem,
so the LORD surrounds his people
both now and forevermore.

Psalm 125:1-2