28 March 2021
Palm Sunday of the Lord’s Passion
Painters, sculptures, and writers all know the importance of contrast as an important means for helping get across their intentions. The readings for Palm Sunday provide an overture for Holy Week by providing the readings that describe Jesus’ dramatic entry into Jerusalem and then conclude with his passion and death. The contrast provides the key for understanding of the readings. Still, the readings call for more than understanding, they call for an emotional response. By providing the contrast between acclaim one day and derision and abandonment a few days later, the gospel writers draw attention to the unfathomable action of God. For centuries, Christians have stood in awe before this contrast of the majesty of God and the extent of that same God’s love. Pilgrims flocked to the Holy Land to draw a deeper realization of the passion by following in the footsteps of Jesus and retelling the events that led to his crucifixion. With the Moslem occupation of the Holy Land and subsequent wars, pilgrims turned to the re-creation of the way of Passion and “stops” or statio along the way to the crucifixion. Long before Ignatius recommended to use one’s imagination, the stations helped people to move beyond an understanding of the passion to a heartfelt recognition of God’s love for us.