April 9 is Palm Sunday, marking the beginning of Holy Week and commemorating Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem shortly before he was crucified.  The name comes from this description in Matthew’s gospel chapter 21:  Jesus asked for a donkey and colt to be brought so that he could ride it into the city, thus making a humble entrance (no war horse) and also recalling the words of the prophet Zechariah, “Rejoice greatly, O daughter Zion!  Shout aloud, O daughter of Jerusalem!  Lo, your king comes to you; triumphant and victorious is he, humble and riding on a donkey, and on a colt the foal of a donkey.”  His followers brought the donkey and colt.  “A very large crowd spread their cloaks on the road, and others cut branches from the trees and spread them on the road.  The crowds that went ahead of him and that followed were shouting, ‘Hosanna to the Son of David!  Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord!  Hosanna in the highest heaven!’  When he entered Jerusalem, the whole city was in turmoil, asking, ‘Who is this?’  The crowds were saying, ‘This is the prophet Jesus from Nazareth in Galilee.'”

          Christians have long recognized the irony of this triumphal entry, followed so soon by the mocking shouts of the crowd that assembled when he was crucified.  People are still asking who Jesus is.  Many are still mocking.  We humbly want to learn more about Jesus.  Come and join us.

          We begin with a blessing and procession of Palms at 8:00am and 10:30am on Sunday April 9th at St. Barnabas.

Palm Sunday procession on the Mount of Olives

by James J. Tissot (French painter and illustrator, 1836-1902)