Palm Sunday 2026 - Cloaks and Palms, Cross and Nails

It was going so well, how could it go so wrong? Coming down on that dusty road from the Mount of Olives, crowds waving palm branches, others spreading their cloaks before him, was Jesus, the Nazorean, riding on a donkey, with its foal alongside. Just as the prophet Zephaniah had prophesied, o so long ago: 
Say to daughter Zion, "Behold, your king comes to you, meek and riding on an ass, and on a colt, the foal of a beast of burden." 

As they drew nearer their song of praise rose so that all could hear: "Hosanna to the Son of David; blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord, hosanna in the highest." Jesus' entry into Jerusalem was so triumphant, so spectacular, so full of hope...How could it go so wrong?

Crowds can be so fickle. In a matter of days their 'hosannas' changed to 'crucify Him', from spreading their cloaks before him to stripping Him naked, palm branches replaced by the wood of the cross. Yes, crowds can be so fickle.

This is the beginning of Holy Week, and we will journey, step by step, through the sanctity of Holy Thursday, the darkness of Good Friday, the silence of Holy Saturday, to the glory of Resurrection Day. However, in order to fully prepare for the glorious celebration of Easter, let's not rush the week.

Take your time, put yourself in the story. Who are you? Are you shouting 'Hosannas', or are you calling for His blood? Are you one who plotted and betrayed him, or ran from him, or denied him or watched him die on the cross from a safe distance? Are you one who mocked, spat and jeered at him? Are you one who taunted him, even as you hung next to him on a cross you deserved, or are you one who humbly asks, "remember me, when you come into the kingdom", even as you hung next to him on a cross you deserved? Are you the one who understood and said "Truly, this was the Son of God"?

Palm Sunday asks us to be honest about our own inconsistency; we can be all of the above in our lifetime, but Jesus cannot be inconsistent: He loves us with all he has, despite all we've done. He traversed the road from the Mount of Olives to the top of Calvary for us. Holy Week celebrates life, not death.  He died and rose again for us, so let us rise to new life in Christ by dying to our sin.

Peace.

Deacon Michel