Palm Sunday

Palm Sunday painting by Giuseppe Cali at Mosta Church, Malta

As we celebrate Palm Sunday today, we honor Jesus as he is welcomed into Jerusalem before his passion and death. This was the Palestinians' way of giving a ticker-tape parade to their hero whom they have listened to, followed and saw performing many miracles among them. Many of those people healed by Him were there waving palm branches and laying down their cloaks on the road. Others were still suspicious of him and soon will shout "crucify Him!" or "release Barabbas!" And as Holy Week starts today, we focus on the last few days of Jesus among us, and be prepared to follow in his footsteps during the Last Supper, his trial, his crucifixion, and his eventual Resurrection. Since palms are not common in countries like Malta, we use olive branches, which are blessed in churches, and people take them home to be placed behind a crucifix. Greeks and Eastern Orthodox Christians use pussy willow branches as they celebrate Holy Week a few days later.