Every year, Palm Sunday marks the start of Holy Week, commemorating Jesus’s entrance into Jerusalem when He was greeted by crowds waving palm branches. People gathered outside the Cathedral of St. Matthew the Apostle in Washington, D.C., on March 24 for the beginning of the Palm Sunday of the Lord’s Passion Mass celebrated by Washington Cardinal Wilton Gregory.
Cardinal Gregory spoke to the people gathered there and blessed the palms on the steps of the cathedral.
“Brothers and sisters, since the beginning of Lent until now, we have prepared our hearts by penance and charitable works,” Cardinal Gregory said. “Today we gather together to herald with the whole Church the beginning of the celebration of our Lord’s paschal mystery. That is to say, of His passion and resurrection.”
Following the blessing of palms, the cardinal blessed the crowd with holy water. Deacon Isaac Sagastume gave the Procession of the Palms reading from the Gospel of Mark.
“Many people spread their cloaks on the road, and others spread leafy branches that they had cut off from the fields. Those proceeding him, as well as those following, kept crying out, ‘Hosanna, blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord, blessed is the kingdom of our father David that is to come. Hosanna in the highest,” Deacon Sagastume read to the crowd.
Later in the Palm Sunday Mass, the gospel reading from the Gospel of Mark told how Jesus celebrated Passover with the apostles, told them He will be betrayed and blessed the bread at the Last Supper. They then travel to Gethsemane, where Jesus prayed and asked the disciples to keep watch but they fell asleep. Later, Judas betrayed Jesus with a kiss. Peter denied Jesus three times. After His trial, Jesus was sent to Golgotha, where He was crucified and died. Mary Magdalene and Mary, the mother of Joses, saw Jesus being laid in the tomb.
During his homily, Cardinal Gregory discussed how the spring season can be painful for some with allergies.
“In spite of their beauty, the blessings of photosynthesis that they offer, and the benefit of shade that they will eventually provide, right now, many of you would rather have fewer, rather than more trees in your life. And on top of all that, today, the Church’s prayer introduces still another tree into our lives,” Cardinal Gregory said.
Cardinal Gregory said trees are prevalent in the Bible, with more than 150 mentions of trees spanning more than 31 species. The cardinal noted that trees often serve as symbols of life.
“It is very important to many folks to have a sprig of blessed palm to keep in their homes. This green vegetation is an emblem of our Christian heritage. Palm Sunday brings a lot of people to Church to witness the ancient tradition of the blessing and procession of palms,” Cardinal Gregory said.
The cardinal added that the palm tree is especially important because it is often associated with those fighting evil.
“The palm branch frequently is also associated with the victory of the righteous. Many times, the images of the martyrs are depicted bearing palm branches as a sign of their victory over sin and suffering,” Cardinal Gregory said.
Catholics do not carry palms because they claim a personal victory, the cardinal said, but those palms represent the victory of Christ, whom he called the “true victor over sin and death.” The cardinal went on to say the most victorious tree is the cross that never wilts.
“Today we carry palm branches from a tree that has long been seen as an expression of victory, but we have not yet seen the real tree of victory in the blood-soaked wood of the Cross,” Cardinal Gregory said. “Palm Sunday begins a long week of celebrations of the triumph of the Lord. All of salvation is captured ritually during these next seven days.”
Cardinal Gregory encouraged those in Mass to view the palm trees as more than Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem; they also symbolize Jesus’ entrance into their lives.
“The palm tree, the olive tree, and the Cross of Christ: Each is important for Christian people. And the most important one stands as the tree of salvation in the midst of a garden that we will later this week call Calvary,” Cardinal Gregory said.
