With Palm Branches in Our Hands

(John 12:1-18) (The Entry of our Lord into Jerusalem)

There were two groups of people gathered along the streets that day: Those who believed that Jesus was the Messiah sent by God; and those who were curious, wanting to see the man who had raised Lazarus from the dead. Those who rejoiced at His coming spread their garments on the street, and cut down branches from the palm and olive trees to do the same, and cried out, “Hosanna to the Son of David. Blessed is He that cometh in the name of the Lord, Hosanna in the highest!” Caught up in the emotion of the moment, the others, the curious, said and did the same. Not too many days later, of course, many who had welcomed the entry of our Lord into Jerusalem with these shouts and deeds of praise and celebration would be gathered again, crying out, “Crucify Him! Crucify Him!”

And here we stand, with palm branches in our hands, singing His praises, and celebrating His arrival. We need to examine ourselves, and ask ourselves: are we merely among the curious? Or do we believe? We need to know, as we consider the state of our own souls, that every time we turn aside from the way of the Lord to pursue our passions, every time we give ourselves over to our sins, we betray the Son of God; we are crucifying Him.

The fathers remind us that the body we have is a garment and covering for the soul; and that those who laid down their garments for the Lord to ride upon are those who subject their flesh to the spirit, and so establish in themselves, in body, mind, and spirit, the virtues. How do we do this? By prayer, asking God’s help and guidance to overcome our sins and our passions; and by fasting, to weaken our flesh, and teach it to be subject to the will of God through our own will, rather than being subject to the desires arising from within itself. We acquire the virtues by giving alms, using the wealth and blessing that God has entrusted to us for the benefit of others; and by struggling to replace our passions with the holy way of living that the passions have supplanted: so humility for pride, generosity for selfishness, chastity for lust, patience for impatience, and so on.

Brothers and sisters: Our King and Savior comes to each of us, not in the fullness of His glory, which would blind us, and cause us to be filled with fear, and so be unable to speak or think or act. He comes, not at the head of a conquering army, but in gentleness and humility, asking us to receive Him, and to invite Him, the author of our lives, into the center of our life. He Who has given Himself for us asks us to give ourselves to Him, in loving obedience. Let us deny ourselves the ways of the world, the flesh, and the devil, and follow Him Who is the Way, the Truth, and the Life. Let us pray, and fast, and give, and struggle, for the glory of His name, for the salvation of our souls, and to celebrate with rejoicing His most glorious Pascha!