In a liturgical year, Passion Week is the week prior to Easter. It is also known as Holy Week. The week can be divided into Palm Sunday, Holy Monday, Holy Tuesday, Holy Wednesday, Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, and Holy Saturday.
This year Holy Week begins on March 25, 2018, namely Palm Sunday. It marks Jesus' triumphal entry. He rode on a foal of a donkey into Jerusalem, welcomed by a large crowd who spread branches of the trees on the road. The scene was recorded in Matthew 21:1-11, Mark 11:1-11, Luke 19:28-40, and John 12:12-19.
Jesus' triumphal entry was the fulfillment of the prophecies:
Isaiah 62:11 The Lord has made proclamation
to the ends of the earth:
"Say to Daughter Zion,
'See, your Savior comes!
See, his reward is with him,
and his recompense accompanies him.'"
Zechariah 9:9 Rejoice greatly, Daughter Zion!
Shout, Daughter Jerusalem!
See, your king comes to you,
righteous and victorious,
lowly and riding on a donkey,
on a colt, the foal of a donkey.
When Jesus entered Jerusalem, a very large crowd spread their cloaks and branches from the trees on the road and shouted, "Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest heaven!" The whole was stirred by his arrival and many thought that he was the king they expected.
Many churches in China celebrate the day in different ways. On that day most of the church is decorated with palm branches. Some churches distribute palm branches to every churchgoer, some spread branches on the floor of the church, and some put branches on the pulpit. The clergy may walk around the church with palm branches in their hands or choir members head into the church by holding branches...
A palm branch is a symbol that the Israelites yearns for the kingdom of Messiah. When Jesus entered Jerusalem, many people who regarded Jesus as their savior welcomed him with palm branches. In the Apostolic Age, it represents a victory of martyrs because the Lord overcame death for them.
It is also mentioned in Revelations 7:9-10: "After this I looked, and there before me was a great multitude that no one could count, from every nation, tribe, people and language, standing before the throne and before the Lamb. They were wearing white robes and were holding palm branches in their hands. And they cried out in a loud voice:"Salvation belongs to our God, who sits on the throne, and to the Lamb."
Meditation: Let's reflect on what is "glory" on this glorious day.Do we know Jesus' glory? Do we give Jesus the glory due to him? Is the glory we expect after God's heart?
- Translated by Karen Luo
