Why is this day called Palm-Sunday?

On account of the palms with which the people strewed the Saviour's path before Him, as He entered Jerusalem; and because palms are on this day blessed before service, by the Church, which "are afterwards carried in solemn procession in commemoration of Christ's solemn entrance into Jerusalem.

Why are palms blessed?

That those who bear them with devotion, may receive protection for soul and body, as prayed for in the blessing; that the inhabitants of the place in which they are kept, may be preserved from all evils; that those who carry the palms, may, by means of the Church's prayers, adorn their souls with good works and thus, in spirit, meet the Saviour; that, through Christ whose members we are, we may conquer the kingdom of death and darkness, and be made worthy to share in His glorious resurrection and triumphant entrance into heaven. St. Augustine writes of the palms: "They are emblems of praise, and the signs of victory; because the Lord by death conquered death, and with the sign of victory, the cross, overcame the devil, the prince of death." Therefore we go singing hymns of praise, with the cross in advance, in procession around the Church; when we come to the Church door, we find it locked, and the priest knocks at it with the cross, to show, how by Adam's sin heaven was closed to us, and that only since Jesus has killed death, and only by the cross of reconciliation, are the Church doors and the gates of paradise open to men, who love the Lord.

To infuse us with compassion for the suffering Redeemer, the Church, in the person of Christ, cries at the Introit in lamenting tones: Lord, keep not thy help far from me; look to my defence; save me from the lion's mouth, and rescue me in my distress, from the horns of unicorns. O God, my God, look upon me: why hast thou forsaken me? They are my sins (that is, the sins of all men which I have taken upon me), that keep salvation far from me. (Ps. xxi.)


PRAYER OF THE CHURCH. O almighty and eternal God, who wouldst have our Saviour become man, and suffer on a cross, to give mankind an example of humility: mercifully grant, that we may improve by the example of His patience, and partake of His resurrection. Through, &c.

EPISTLE. (Phil. ii. 5 -11) Brethren: Let this mind be in you, which was also in Christ Jesus; who being in the form of God, thought it not robbery, to be equal with God: but emptied himself, taking the form of a servant, being made in the likeness of men, and in habit found as a man. He humbled himself, becoming obedient unto death; even to the death of the cross. For which cause God also hath exalted him, and hath given him a name which is above all namas: that in the name of Jesus every knee shall bow, of those that are in heaven, on earth, and under the earth. And that every tongue should confess that the Lord Jesus Christ is in the glory of the Father.

INSTRUCTION. In this epistle, the apostle, as St. Chrysostom says, in a special manner urges us to humility by which we are made like to Christ, the Lord, who putting off the majesty of His divinity, became man, and obediently humbled Himself to the ignominious death of the cross. "Would that all might hear," exclaims St. Gregory, "that God resists the proud, and gives His grace to the humble! Would that all might hear: Thou dust and ashes, why dost thou exalt thyself? Would that all might hear the words of the Lord: Learn of me, because I am humble of heart. Because for this the only begotten Son of God assumed the form of our weakness, suffered mockery, insults, and torments, for this that the humble God might teach man not to be proud."

ASPIRATION. Ah, that my sentiments were as Thine, O my Lord Jesus! who so humbledst Thyself and wast obedient to the most ignominious death of the cross. Grant me, I beseech Thee, O my Redeemer, the grace to diligently follow Thee in humility.

In Mass instead of the gospel the Passion, as it is called, that is, the History of the Passion of our Lord, is read from Matthew chapters xxvi., xxvii., and xxviii.) And neither incense, nor lights are used, nor is the Dominus vobiscum said, thus signifying that Jesus, the Light of the world, was taken away by death, at which, as we know, the faith and devotion of the apostles shook and became almost extinct. When reading the History of the Passion, the priest, when he comes to the words: and bowing his head, he gave up the ghost, with all the congregation, falls on his knees to consider the great mystery of the death of Jesus, by which our redemption was effected, and to give God thanks for it from his inmost heart.

At the blessing of the palms, the priest reads the following


GOSPEL. (Matt. xxi. 1 - 9.) At That Time: Jesus drawing near to Jerusalem; and being come to Bethphage, at Mount Olivet, he sent two of his disciples, and said to them: Go ye into the village that is over against you, and immediately you shall find an ass tied and a colt with her: loose them and bring them to me: and if any man shall say any thing to you, say ye, that the Lord hath need of them: and forthwith he will let them go. Now all this was done that it might be fulfilled which was spoken by the prophet, saying: "Tell ye the daughter of Sion: Behold, thy king cometh to thee, meek, and sitting upon an ass and a colt the foal of her that is used to the yoke." And the disciples going, did as Jesus commanded them. And they brought the ass and the colt: and laid their garments upon them, and made him sit thereon. And a very great multitude spread their garments in the way: and others cut down boughs from the trees, and strewed them in the way: and the multitudes that went before and that followed, cried, saying: "Hosanna to the Son of David: Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord."'


Why did Jesus enter Jerusalem so solemnly and yet so humble?

To show that He was the promised Messiah and King of the Jews, as foretold by the Prophet Zacliarias (ix. 9.), and that He had come to conquer the world, the flesh, and the devil, for which He used the weapons of meekness, humility, and poverty, and therefore came seated not on a proud steed, but on an ass's weak colt, like a poor person, entering Jerusalem in all humility, thus teaching us that meekness and indifference to earthly goods, are our best weapons for victory over our enemies; to fill the type of the paschal lamb, for on this day the lambs who were to be sacrificed in the temple on the following Friday, were solemnly led into the city. Thus Jesus, like a meek lamb, entered the city of Jerusalem to be sacrificed for us.


Why did the people meet Christ with palm-branches?

This happened by the inspiration of God, to indicate that Christ, the conqueror of death, hell, and the devil, would reconcile man with God, and open the heavenly Jerusalem to him, for the palm is the emblem of victory and peace. By this we learn also the inconsistency and mutability of the world; for the very people who on this day met Christ with palm-branches shouting: "Hosanna to the Son of David," a few days after shouted: "Crucify him! Crucify him!" -- Learn from this to despise the world's praise, and not to imitate the inconsistency of this people by receiving at Easter your Saviour with joy in holy Communion, and soon crucify Him anew by sin. (Hebr. vi. 6.)


How should we take part to-day in the procession of blessed palms?

With the pious intention of meeting Christ in spirit, with the devout people of Jerusalem, adoring Him, saying: "Hosanna to the Son of David, Hosanna to Him who comes in the name of the Lord; Hosanna to the Highest!" and with the heartfelt prayer to Jesus for His grace, that by it we may become blooming, and with Him conquer the world, the flesh, and the devil, and thus merit to be received into the heavenly Jerusalem.


How and why did Christ defend Himself against the slanders of the Jews?

PETITIONO Jesus, Thou always fresh and fruitful Tree of Life! grant, that we may by love be like palms ever green, and by the practice of good works blossom and bring forth fruit.


INSTRUCTION FOR HOLY WEEK

Why is this week called Holy Week?

This week is called Holy Week and also the Great Week, because during it Christ consummated the most holy mystery of our redemption, and gave us such unspeakable benefits. It is besides called the Quiet Week, because of the quietness of the Church services.


What remarkable things did Christ do during the first four days of this week?

After He had entered the temple at Jerusalem on Palm Sunday amidst the greatest rejoicings of the people, and was even saluted by the children with the joyous clamor of "Hosanna", He drove the buyers and sellers out of the temple, and when He had spent the entire day in preaching and healing the sick, He went in the evening to Bethania, where He remained over night in Lazarus' house, because in Jerusalem no one wished to receive Him for fear of His enemies. The three following days He spent in Jerusalem, teaching in the temple, and passing the night in prayer on Mount Olivet. In His sermons during these days, He especially strove to convince the Jewish priests, the lawyers and Pharisees, that He was really the Messiah, and that they would commit a terrible sin, bringing themselves and the whole Jewish nation to destruction by His death, which He foretold. This ruin of the people He illustrated to them most plainly by the withering of the fig-tree under His curse, and foretelling the destruction of the city and temple of Jerusalem. He disputed with them, and confounded them, openly and by parables, that out of anger and hatred, they with one mind decreed to kill Him. To the execution of their design the impious Judas aided the most, for from avarice he betrayed Him for thirty pieces of silver (about fifteen dollars in our money) to the chief priests, and the next day, Thursday, became His betrayer and delivered Him over into their hands.