Gospel Reflection - Palm Sunday, Year A

A martyr is traditionally depicted carrying a palm branch, which serves to symbolize the victory of spirit over flesh. As our Lord entered Jerusalem, the crowds gathered palm branches, like a pledge of their life to Christ. They saw in Him their King and they were willing to die for Him. But what do they do with their palms? They throw them before Jesus' path. No, martyrdom is not for them. The hardships of Christian life, which fertilize our souls that God might plant choicest virtues, was too difficult. So instead, they lay the branches before Jesus…let Him win the glorious token of martyrdom hidden under the guise of a branch; let Him carry the burden of this life. When the hour arrived for Christ to mount the cross, we know the crowds had indeed abandoned their palms.

Only the Gospel of John explicitly describes palm branches; nonetheless, it serves for reflection. 

At the very end of Matthew’s Passion narrative, we hear, “‘The guard is yours; go, secure it as best you can.’ So they went and secured the tomb by fixing a seal to the stone and setting the guard.” Isn’t this how we, like the crowds, abandon Christ? We try to seal Him away somewhere and ignore Him, as if Jesus is exclusive to “religion,” the “Bible,” “prayer,” etc. Or, on the other hand, we try to seal ourselves away and guard our conscience from the freedom that is offered to us through the glory of the Cross. 

Perhaps, as we enter into Holy Week, we can enter into silent reflection; we might review our Lenten practices and prayerfully discern how to open our hearts to the Lord.