Palm Sunday
Mk 11:1-10
Isa 50:4-7
Phi 2:6-11
Mk 14:1-15:47
“Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord!”
It’s Palm Sunday! Lent is over! Before you rejoice so ever quickly, curb your enthusiasm just a tiny bit for the moment.
Most Catholics know the significance of Palm Sunday — it is when Jesus entered Jerusalem with great welcome and fanfare. Picture it in your mind — people lined the streets to greet Him, laying down palm branches before Him as a sign of great respect. They chanted with a unified and deafening sound, like the Angels in Heaven would, “Hosanna in the highest!”.
The Israelites were receiving Jesus as the long awaited descendent of David, a great king who would save them from all their troubles, perhaps the oppression of the Romans. Oh, the excitement that would have filled the air on that day!
It is safe to say that the Israelites were ecstatic and overjoyed at this thought. Now, think of how Jesus reacts. He remains calm and serene, knowing full well what lies in wait for Him in the following days. He doesn’t turn the donkey around and leave Jerusalem, nor does He exhibit the pride of having a large crowd ‘worshipping’ Him.
For our Lord knows that the suffering He will face for the sake of all, for the people present and not present at His entrance into Jerusalem; yet He does not shy away from the terrible anguish and pain He will be facing. Perhaps, what caused our Lord sorrow, is the ‘worship’ that the people were offering. They were cheering because they expected a king to liberate them physically, their worship was based more on their earthly needs.
The worship that God seeks is not the sentiment we would offer a popular singer or actor. True worship is seeking to know and love the person and to enter into an everlasting relationship. God does not need our worship. He is not some lonely or egotistical entity that created us to satisfy His ego. The worship that God seeks is for our own good. For in worshipping our God, we learn to trust Him, to entrust ourselves to Him and to love Him above all else. In doing so, He strengthens us for the trials and challenges that come our way; He will give us the grace to endure, to overcome and to conquer, just like Jesus conquered sin and death. He will liberate us from our bondage and give us the freedom, joy and peace that we all seek.
For this Palm Sunday, let us reflect on the kind of worship that we offer our God. May it be a heartfelt invitation for Jesus to enter into our lives, and earnest praise and thanksgiving to our loving, generous, and merciful God. Let us offer God our hearts in true worship.
(Today’s OXYGEN by Winnie Kung)
Prayer: Our most merciful Lord, You are so ever generous, even to death. You enter Jerusalem knowing the sorrow and pain that lies in wait for you, yet You do not shy away. You lay down Your life for the salvation of the world. May we love You, worship You as You truly deserve to be loved and worshipped.
Thanksgiving: Heavenly Father, we thank you for giving us Your most Blessed Son to redeem us from our sins. Not only did Jesus die for us, but He suffered so much before His crucifixion. How you must have suffered with our Lord during Calvary. Yet for the love of man and his salvation, You willingly give Your Son for our ransom. Words are not sufficient to express our deepest, most heartfelt thank you. Thank you for Your infinite mercy, for Your infinite love and Your Infinite goodness. We bless Your Holy Name in praise and worship.
OXYGEN 
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