Why
is this day called Palm Sunday?
In
memory of our Saviour's triumphant entry into Jerusalem, when the
multitude strewed palm branches before Him, for which reason the
Church, on this day, blesses palms, and carries them in procession.
Why
are palms blessed?
That
those who carry them with devotion, or keep them in their houses, may
receive protection of soul and body, as prayed for in the blessing;
that those who carry the palms may, by means of the prayers of the
Church, adorn their souls with good works and thus, in spirit, meet
the Saviour; that, through Christ whose members we are, we may
conquer the kingdom of death and darkness, and be made worthy to
share in His glorious resurrection and triumphant entrance into
heaven. St. Augustine writes of the palms: “They are the emblem of
praise, and sign of victory, because the Lord by death conquered
death, and with the sign of victory, the cross, overcame the devil,
the prince of death." Therefore, preceded by the cross, we go in
procession around the church singing hymns of praise; when we come to
the church door, we find it locked; the priest knocks at it with the
cross. Heaven was closed to us by the sin of Adam, and it is opened
to us by reconciliation through Jesus on the cross.
To
move us to compassion for the suffering Redeemer, the Church, in the
person of Christ, cries in lamenting tones at the Introit:
INTROIT
O Lord, remove not Thy help to a distance from me, look towards my
defence: save me from the lion's mouth, and my lowness from the horns
of the unicorns. O God, my God! look on me, why hast Thou forsaken
me? Far from my salvation are the words of my sins. O Lord! Remove
not, &c. (Psalms 21)
COLLECT
Almighty and everlasting God! who didst vouchsafe to send Thy Son,
our Saviour, to take upon Him our flesh, and to suffer death upon the
cross, to give mankind an example of humility; mercifully grant, that
we may both follow the example of His patience, and be made partakers
of His Resurrection. Through the same &c.
EPISTLE
(Philippians 2:5-11) Brethren, let this mind be in you, which was
also in Christ Jesus: who being in the form of God, thought it not
robbery himself to be equal to God; but debased himself, taking the
form of a servant, being made to the likeness of men, and in shape
found as a man. He humbled himself, becoming obedient unto death,
even the death of the cross. Wherefore, God also hath exalted him,
and hath given him a name, which is above every name: that in the
name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those that are in heaven, on
earth, and under the earth; and that every tongue should confess,
that the Lord, Jesus Christ, is in the glory of God, the Father.
INSTRUCTION
In this epistle, the apostle urges us in a special manner to humility
by which we are made like to Christ, our Lord, who putting off the
majesty of His divinity, became man, and humbled Himself in obedience
to the ignominious death of the cross. "Would that all might
hear," exclaims St. Gregory, "that God resists the proud,
and gives His grace to the humble! Would that all might hear: Thou
dust and ashes, why dost thou exalt thyself? Would that all might
hear the words of the Lord: Learn of me, because I am humble of
heart. The only-begotten Son of God assumed the form of our weakness,
suffered mockery, insult and torments for the purpose that the humble
God might teach man not to be proud."
ASPIRATION
Ah, that my sentiments were as Thine, O my Lord, Jesus! who
so humbled Thyself and were obedient to the most ignominious death of
the cross. Grant me, I beseech Thee, O my Redeemer, the grace
diligently to follow Thee in humility.
Instead
of the gospel of the Passion, that is, the history of the sufferings
of our Lord according to St. Matthew, (Chapters 26-27) is read in
this day's Mass, and neither incense, nor lights are used, nor is the
Dominus vobiscum said, thus signifying that Jesus, the Light of the
world, was taken away by death, and that the faith and devotion of
the apostles was shaken, and became almost extinct. When reading the
History of the Passion at the words: and bowing his head, he gave up
the ghost, the priest with all the congregation kneel and meditate
for a short time on the great mystery of the death of Jesus, by which
our redemption was effected.
At
the blessing of the palms, the priest reads the following:
GOSPEL
(Matthew 21:1-9) At that time, when Jesus drew nigh to Jerusalem, and
was come to Bethphage, unto Mount Olivet; then he sent two disciples,
saying to them: Go ye into the village that is over against you, and
immediately ye will find an ass tied, and a colt with her; loose
them, and bring them to me; and if any man shall say any thing to
you, say ye that the Lord hath need of them, and forthwith he will
let them go. Now all this was done, that the word might be fulfilled,
which was spoken by the prophet, saying: Tell ye the daughter of
Sion, behold thy king cometh to thee, meek, and sitting upon an ass,
and a colt, the foal of her that is used to the yoke. And the
disciples going, did as Jesus commanded them. And they brought the
ass and the colt, and laid their garments upon them, and made him sit
thereon. And a very great multitude spread their garments in the way;
and others cut down boughs from the trees, and strewed them in the
way; and the multitudes that went before and that followed, cried,
saying: Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessed is he that cometh in the
name of the Lord.
Why
did Jesus enter Jerusalem so solemnly and yet so humbly?
To
show that He was the promised Messiah and King of the Jews, as
foretold by the Prophet Zacharias, (9:9) and that He had come to
conquer the world, the flesh and the devil, for which He used the
weapons of meekness, humility, and poverty and therefore came seated
not on a proud steed but like a poor person on the weak colt of an
ass, entering Jerusalem in all humility, thus teaching us that
meekness and indifference to earthly goods are our best weapons to
gain victory over our enemies. Jesus entered Jerusalem so humbly to
perfect the type of the Paschal lamb, for on this day the lambs which
were to be sacrificed in the temple on the following Friday, were
solemnly led into the city. Thus Jesus like a meek lamb, entered the
city of Jerusalem to be sacrificed for us.
Why
did the people meet Christ with palm branches?
This
happened by the inspiration of God, to indicate that Christ, the
conqueror of death, hell and the devil, would reconcile man with God,
and open the heavenly Jerusalem to him, for the palm is the emblem of
victory and peace. By this we learn also the inconsistency and
mutability of the world; for the very people who on this day met
Christ with palm branches exclaiming: "Hosanna to the Son of
David," a few days later shouted: "Crucify him! Crucify
him!" - Learn from this to despise the praise of the world, and
be careful not to imitate the inconsistency of this people by
crucifying Him again by sin (Hebrews 6:6) after having received Him
with joy in holy Communion.
How
should we take part in the procession on this day?
With
the pious intention of meeting Christ in spirit, with the devout
people of Jerusalem, adoring Him, saying: "Hosanna to the Son of
David, Hosanna to Him who comes in the name of the Lord; Hosanna to
the Highest!" and with the heart-felt prayer to Jesus for His
grace, that with Him we may conquer the world, the flesh and the
devil, and thus merit to be received into the heavenly Jerusalem.
PETITION
O Jesus, Tree of Life! ever fresh and fruitful, grant that we
may by love be like palms ever green, and by the practice of, good
works blossom and bring forth fruit.
THE
PASSION OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST
ACCORDING
TO ST. MATTHEW, CHAPTERS 26, 27.
At
that time, Jesus said to his disciples: You know that after two days
shall be the Pasch, and the Son of Man shall be delivered up to be
crucified. Then were gathered together the chief priests and the
ancients of the people into the palace of the high-priest, who was
called Caiphas. And they consulted together, that, by subtilty, they
might apprehend Jesus and put him to death. But they said: Not on the
festival day, lest there should be a tumult among the people. And
when Jesus was in Bethania, in the house of Simon the leper, there
came to him a woman having an alabaster-box of precious ointment, and
poured it on his head, as he was at table. And the disciples seeing
it, had indignation, saying: To what purpose is this waste? For this
might have been sold for much, and given to the poor. And Jesus
knowing it, said to them: Why do you trouble this woman? for she hath
wrought a good work upon me. For the poor you have always with you:
but me you have not always. For she, in pouring this ointment upon my
body, hath done it for my burial. Amen, I say to you, wheresoever
this gospel shall be preached in the whole world, that also which she
hath done, shall be told for a memory of her.
Then
went one of the twelve, who was called Judas Iscariot, to the chief
priests, and said to them: What will you give me, and I will deliver
him unto you? But they appointed for him thirty pieces of silver. And
from thenceforth he sought opportunity to betray him.
And
on the first day of the Azymes, the disciples came to Jesus, saying:
Where wilt thou that we prepare for thee to eat the Pasch? But Jesus
said: Go ye into the city to a certain man, and say to him: The
master saith: my time is near at hand, I will keep the Pasch at thy
house with my disciples. And the disciples did as Jesus had appointed
them, and they prepared the Pasch. Now when it was evening, he sat
down with his twelve disciples. And whilst they were eating, he said:
Amen, I say to you, that one of you is about to betray me. And they
being very much troubled, began everyone to say: Is it I, Lord? But
he answering, said: He that dippeth his hand with me in the dish, the
same shall betray me. The Son of Man indeed goeth as it is written of
him; but woe to that man, by whom the Son of Man shall be betrayed:
it were better for that man, if he had not been born. And Judas that
betrayed him, answering, said: Is it I, Rabbi? He said to him: Thou
hast said it. And whilst they were at supper, Jesus took bread, and
blessed and broke, and gave to his disciples, and said: Take ye and
eat: This is my body. And taking the chalice he gave thanks: and gave
to them, saying: Drink ye all of this. For this is my blood of the
new testament, which shall be shed for many for the remission of
sins. And I say to you, I will not drink from henceforth of the fruit
of the vine, until that day, when I shall drink it new with you in
the kingdom of my Father. And when they had sung a hymn, they went
out to Mount Olivet.
Then
Jesus saith to them: All you shall be scandalized in me this night.
For it is written: I will strike the shepherd, and the sheep of the
flock shall be dispersed. But after I shall be risen again, I will go
before you into Galilee. And Peter answering, said to him: Though all
shall be scandalized in thee, I will never be scandalized. Jesus said
to him: Amen, I say to thee, that in this night, before the cock
crow, thou wilt deny me thrice. Peter saith to him: Though I should
die with thee, I will not deny thee. And in like manner said all the
disciples. Then Jesus came with them to a country place which is
called Gethsemani, and he said to his disciples: Sit you here, till I
go yonder, and pray. And taking with him Peter and the two sons of
Zebedee, he began to grow sorrowful and to be sad.
Then
he saith to them: My soul is sorrowful even unto death; stay you
here, and watch with me. And going a little further he fell upon his
face, praying, and saying: O my Father! if it is possible, let this
chalice pass from me. Nevertheless not as I will, but as thou wilt.
And he cometh to his disciples, and findeth them asleep; and he saith
to Peter: What! could you not watch one hour with me? Watch ye, and
pray that ye enter not into temptation. The spirit indeed is willing,
but the flesh is weak. Again he went the second time, and prayed,
saying: O my Father! if this chalice cannot pass away except I drink
it, thy will be done. And he cometh again, and findeth them asleep;
for their eyes were heavy. And leaving them, he went away again, and
he prayed the third time, saying the same words. Then he cometh to
his disciples, and with to them: Sleep on now, and take your rest:
behold the hour is at hand, and the Son of Man shall be betrayed into
the hands of sinners. Rise, let us go; behold, he is at hand that
will betray me.
As
he yet spoke, behold, Judas, one of the twelve, came, and with him a
great multitude with swords and clubs, sent from the chief priests
and the ancients of the people. And he that betrayed him, gave them a
sign, saying: Whomsoever I shall kiss, that is he: hold him fast. And
forthwith coming to Jesus, he said: Hail, rabbi! And he kissed him.
And Jesus said to him: Friend! whereto art thou come? Then they came
up and laid hands on Jesus, and held him. And behold one of them that
were with Jesus, stretching forth his hand, drew out his sword; and
striking the servant of the high-priest, cut off his ear. Then Jesus
saith to him: Put up again thy sword into its place for all that take
the sword shall perish by the sword. Thinkest thou that I cannot ask
my Father, and he will give me presently more than twelve legions of
Angels? How then shall the scriptures be fulfilled, that so it must
be done? In that same hour Jesus said to the multitude: You are come
out as against a robber, with swords and clubs to apprehend me. I sat
daily with you teaching in the temple, and you laid not hands on me.
Now all this was done, that the scriptures of the prophets might be
fulfilled. Then the disciples all leaving him, fled away.
But
they holding Jesus, led him to Caiphas, the high-priest, where the
scribes and the ancients were assembled. But Peter followed him afar
off to the high-priest's palace. And going in, he sat with the
servants, to see the end. Now the chief priests and whole council
sought false witness against Jesus, that they might put him to death:
and they found not, though many false witnesses had come in. And last
of all, there came two false witnesses. And they said: This man said:
I am able to destroy the temple of God, and in three days to rebuild
it. And the high-priest rising up, said to him: Answerest thou
nothing to the things which these witness against thee? But Jesus
held his peace. And the high-priest said to him: I adjure thee by the
living God, that thou tell us if thou be the Christ, the Son of God.
Jesus saith to him: Thou hast said it. Nevertheless I say to you,
hereafter you shall see the Son of Man, sitting on the right hand of
the power of God, and coming in the clouds of heaven. Then the
high-priest rent his garments, saying: He hath blasphemed, what
further need have we of witnesses? Behold, now you have heard the
blasphemy. What think you? But they answering, said: He is guilty of
death.
Then
they spit in his face, and buffetted him, and others struck his face
with the palms of their hands, saying: Prophesy unto us, O Christ!
who is he that struck thee? But Peter sat without in the palace, and
there came to him a servant maid, saying: Thou also wast with Jesus
the Galilean. But he denied before them all, saying: I know not what
thou sayest. And as he went out of the gate, another maid saw him,
and she saith to them that were there: This man also was with Jesus
of Nazareth. And again he denied with an oath: I do not know the man.
And after a little while, they that stood by came and said to Peter:
Surely thou also art one of them: for even thy speech doth discover
thee. Then he began to curse and to swear that he knew not the man.
And
immediately the cock crew. And Peter remembered the word of Jesus
which he had said: Before the cock crow, thou wilt deny me thrice.
And going forth, he wept bitterly.
And
when the morning was come, all the chief priests and ancients of the
people held a council against Jesus, to put him to death. And they
brought him bound, and delivered him to Pontius Pilate, the governor.
Then
Judas, who betrayed him, seeing that he was condemned, repenting
himself, brought back the thirty pieces of silver to the chief
priests and the ancients, saying: I have sinned, in betraying
innocent blood. But they said: What is that to us? look thou to it.
And
casting down the pieces of silver in the temple, he departed: and
went and hanged himself with a halter. But the chief priests having
taken the pieces of silver, said: It is not lawful to put them into
the corbona, because it is the price of blood. And having consulted
together, they bought with them the potter's field, to be a
burying-place for strangers. Wherefore that field was called
Haceldama, that is the field of blood, even to this day.
Then
was fulfilled that which was spoken by Jeremias the prophet, saying:
And they took the thirty pieces of silver, the price of him that was
valued, whom they prized of the children of Israel. And they gave
them unto the potter's field, as the Lord appointed to me.
And
Jesus stood before the governor, and the governor asked him, saying:
Art thou the king of the Jews? Jesus saith to him: Thou sayest it.
And when he was accused by the chief priests and ancients, he
answered nothing. Then Pilate saith to him: Dost thou not hear how
great testimonies they allege against thee?
And
he answered him not to any word: so that the governor wondered
exceedingly.
Now
upon the solemn day the governor was accustomed to release to the
people one prisoner, whom they would. And he had then a notorious
prisoner, that was called Barabbas. They, therefore, being gathered
together, Pilate said: Whom will you that I release to you, Barabbas,
or Jesus, who is called Christ? For he knew that through envy they
had delivered him up. And as he was sitting on the judgment-seat, his
wife sent to him, saying. Have thou nothing to do with that just man.
For I have suffered many things this day in a dream on account of
him. But the chief priests and ancients persuaded the people, that
they should ask Barabbas, and make Jesus away. And the governor
answering, said to them: Which will you have of the two to be
released unto you? But they said: Barabbas. Pilate saith to them:
What shall I do then with Jesus that is called Christ? They all say:
Let him be crucified. The governor said to them: Why, what evil hath
he done? But they cried out the more, saying: Let him be crucified.
And Pilate seeing that he prevailed nothing, but that rather a tumult
was made; having taken water, washed his hands before the people,
saying: I am innocent of the blood of this just man: look you to it.
And all the people answering, said: His blood be upon us, and upon
our children. Then he released to them Barabbas, and having scourged
Jesus, delivered him to them to be crucified.
Then
the soldiers of the governor, taking Jesus into the hall, gathered
together unto him the whole band. And stripping him, they put a
scarlet cloak about him. And platting a crown of thorns, they put it
upon his head, and a reed in his right hand. And bowing the knee
before him, they mocked him, saying: Hail, king of the Jews!
And
spitting upon him, they took the reed, and struck his head. And after
they had mocked him, they took off the cloak from him, and put on him
his own garments, and led him away to crucify him.
And
going out, they found a man of Cyrene, named Simon; him they forced
to take up his cross. And they came to the place that is called
Golgotha, which is, the place of Calvary. And they gave him wine to
drink mingled with gall. And when he had tasted, he would not drink.
And after they had crucified him, they parted his garments, casting
lots; that the word might be fulfilled which was spoken by the
prophet, saying: They divided my garments among them; and upon my
vesture they cast lots. And they sat down, and watched him. And they
put over his head his cause written: This is Jesus, the King of the
Jews. Then were there crucified with him two thieves; the one on the
right hand, and the other on the left. And they that passed by
blasphemed him, wagging their heads, and saying: Vah, thou who
destroyest the temple of God, and in three days buildest it up again,
save thy own self: if thou be the Son of God, come down from the
cross. In like manner also, the chief priests with the scribes and
ancients, mocking, said: He saved others; himself he cannot save: if
he be the king of Israel, let him now come down from the cross, and
we will believe him. He trusted in God, let him deliver him now if he
will save him: for he said: I am the Son of God.
And
the self-same thing the thieves also, that were crucified with him,
reproached him with. Now from the sixth hour there was darkness over
all the earth, until the ninth hour. And about the ninth hour, Jesus
cried with a loud voice, saying: Eli, Eli, lamma sabacthani? that is:
My God! my God! why hast thou forsaken me? And some of them that
stood there and heard, said: This man calleth for Elias. And
immediately one of them, running; took a sponge, and filled it with
vinegar; and put it on a reed and gave him to drink. And the others
said: Stay, let us see whether Elias will come to deliver him. And
Jesus again crying with a loud voice, yielded up the ghost.
And
behold the veil of the temple was rent in two, from the top even to
the bottom, and the earth quaked, and the rocks were rent; and the
graves were opened: and many bodies of the saints that had slept
arose: and coming out of the tombs after his resurrection, came into
the holy city, and appeared to many. Now the centurion, and they that
were with him, watching Jesus, having seen the earthquake and the
things that were done, were greatly afraid, saying: Indeed this was
the Son of God. And there were there many women afar off, who had
followed Jesus from Galilee, ministering unto him; among whom was
Mary Magdalen, and Mary, the mother of James and Joseph, and the
mother of the sons of Zebedee. And when it was evening, there came a
certain rich man of Arimathea, named Joseph, who also himself was a
disciple of Jesus. He went to Pilate and begged the body of Jesus.
Then Pilate commanded that the body should be delivered. And Joseph
taking the body, wrapped it up in a clean linen cloth. And laid it in
his own new monument, which he had hewed out in a rock; and he rolled
a great stone to the door of the monument, and went his way. And
there was Mary Magdalen, and the other Mary sitting over against the
sepulchre.
And
the next day, which followed the day of the preparation, the chief
priests and the Pharisees came together to Pilate, saying: Sir, we
have remembered that seducer said, while he was yet alive: After
three days I will rise again. “Command, therefore, the sepulchre to
be guarded until the third day; lest his disciples come and steal him
away, and say to the people: He is risen from the dead. So the last
error shall be worse than the first. Pilate said to them: You have a
guard, go guard it as you know. And they departing, made the
sepulchre sure, with guards, sealing the stone.
INSTRUCTION
ON HOLY WEEK
Why
is this week called Holy Week?
This
week is called Holy Week because during it we celebrate the most holy
mysteries of our religion, and in all her offices and ceremonies the
Church refers in quiet mournfulness to the passion and death of our
Redeemer.
What
remarkable things did Christ do during the first four days of this
week?
After
He had entered the temple at Jerusalem on Palm Sunday amidst the
greatest rejoicings of the people, and was saluted by the children
with that cry of joy: "Hosanna to the Son of David," He
drove the buyers and sellers out of the temple, and when He had spent
the entire day in preaching and healing the sick, He went in the
evening to Bethania, where He remained over night in Lazarus' house,
because in Jerusalem no one wished to receive Him for fear of His
enemies. The three following days He spent in Jerusalem, teaching in
the temple, and passing the night in prayer on Mount Olivet. In His
sermons during these days He strove especially to convince the Jewish
priests, the Doctors of the Law and the Pharisees, that He was really
the Messiah, and that they would commit a terrible sin by putting Him
to death; that they would bring themselves and the whole Jewish
nation to destruction. This ruin of the people He illustrated most
plainly causing the fig-tree to wither under His curse, and by
foretelling the destruction of the city and the temple of Jerusalem.
He disputed with them, and confounded them, and brought them publicly
to shame by parables, so that out of anger and hatred they with one
mind determined to kill Him. The impious Judas aided the most in the
execution of their design; through avarice he sold Him for thirty
pieces of silver (about eighteen dollars in our money) to the chief
priests, and the next day, Thursday, became His betrayer and
delivered Him over into their hands.
–
Goffine’s
Devout Instructions
