Palm Sunday – March 29th, 2026

Sunday Lectionary Readings: Matthew 21:1-11, Isaiah 50:4-9a, Psalm 118:1-2, 19-29, Philippians 2:5-11, Matthew 26:14-27:66.

“All Glory Laud and Honour, to thee redeemer king, to whom the lips of children, made sweet Hosannas ring…”(1)  is the traditional hymn of our faith we sing on Palm Sunday, remembering Christ riding triumphantly into Jerusalem, with the crowds along the roadway, shouting out, “Hosanna, Hosanna”.  Hosanna meaning ‘to Save’ or ‘Save Now’. 

Pilgrims along the roadway heading into Jerusalem for the Passover festival, remembering what God had done for them in the past, bringing their Ancestors out of slavery in Egypt, now longing for a time of Peace and liberation for themselves under oppressive Roman rule; when Jesus comes into view, coming down the Mount of Olives riding a donkey it stirred up in their minds the words of the Prophet, “Rejoice greatly, O Daughter Zion, shout aloud, O daughter Jerusalem, Lo, your king comes to you, humble and lowly riding on a donkey, on a colt the foal of a donkey”(Zech 9:9).

Filled with hope and expectation, they believed Jesus to be the fulfilment of prophecy, that he would be another, as King David who had ruled righteously and justly, and a time of peace was had like no other. They sang out loudly “Hosanna to the Son of David, blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord, Hosanna in the highest heaven.”  Waving branches and laying their cloaks on the roadway before him they honoured him as their king. (Matt 21:8-9)

When a King returned from battle he would ride into the city on a horse in full Military regalia and procession carrying the symbols of conquest with him;  when a king entered a city riding a donkey, it was a sign he was a King coming in Peace.  Jesus was sending an intentional message to the type of King that he was, riding a donkey a humble beast of burden, a symbol of his humility and a sign he was a King coming in Peace. 

The people thinking Jesus was going to lead them into victory over the Romans, when in a few days, they saw it wasn’t going to happen the way they thought it would, they soon turn against him; and many who were hailing him as king on this day, would soon join with the throng of voices calling out for Jesus to be Crucified. “Crucify him, Crucify him.” 

Palm Sunday though it’s celebrated as a day of victory for Jesus, it’s more a day of reckoning, when we have to choose the way we would go; do we follow the way of the kingdom’s of the world, the way of violence, war, injustice; or do we follow that of the self-giving love of our God.  

The world couldn’t accept him then and many can’t now, some even try to make him over in the image they want him to have, that they might build up their own pride of power, through war and destruction; all the while, the way of our God is that of Peace, Justice, and self-giving love and sacrifice, all the way to the Cross. 

“Though he was in the form of God, he did not regard equality with God as something to be exploited, but emptied himself, taking the form of a slave, being born in human like-ness. And being found in human form, he hum-bled himself and became obedient to the point of death—even death on a cross.” (Phil 2:6-8).

I pray this coming week you will faithfully, walk the way of the Cross all the way to Calvary, that you might experience the true gift of grace that is there for you, in the sacrifice Jesus has made.

“Ride on, Ride on, in Majesty,

In Lowly pomp ride on to die.

Bow thy meek head to mortal pain;

Then take, O God, thy power, and reign.” (1)

Amen, God Bless. 

Hannah+

(1) Book of Common Praise, Hymn book, Anglican Church of Canada.