Mar 20, 2016
Gospel: Lk 22:14—23:56 (or Lk 23:1-49)
This week’s spotlight
This Sunday is the beginning of Holy Week. We remember Jesus' triumphant
entry into Jerusalem. When Jesus enters the city on a donkey, the crowd waves
palm branches. This was a sign of honor - it was how people welcomed a king. On
Palm Sunday, we honor Jesus as our King by coming into the church for Mass with
palm fronds that have been blessed by the priest.
Hosanna
Hosanna
means "save us" in Hebrew. When Jesus enters into Jerusalem, the
crowds cheer him with this word and they repeat a line from Psalm 118:
"Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord." It is a way of
expressing that Jesus is the Messiah sent by God. In the Mass, these words are
repeated in the Sanctus, which praises God for his holiness
("sanctus" means "holy” in Latin).
Reflection
A hero unlike any
other!
In
the movies or the comic books, the hero is always victorious. He always has a
lot of adventures: he crushes, destroys, or eliminates his enemies with a stroke
of a sword, a magic wand, or a laser beam.
In
the Gospels, there is also a hero: Jesus. Here he is today riding to Jerusalem
on a little donkey. The joyous crowd welcomes him as their king. The people had
seen him perform miracles. They thought that this man had come to free them
from the Roman soldiers who occupied the country. But they were wrong. Jesus
doesn't use strength or violence to make people happy, but love. He is a unique
hero; he doesn't destroy; he builds. He loves mankind enough to give his life
for everyone. For a lot of people, this is crazy - it doesn't make sense! But
he does this to free us from death, to offer us eternal life.
Discussion questions
1.
Why
was Jesus arrested and brought before Pilate?
2.
Did
Pilate think that Jesus was guilty of a crime?
3.
What did the crowd want Pilate to do with Jesus?
4.
Who is Jesus crucified with?
5.
What
did Jesus say before he died on the cross?
Praying after Communion
After
receiving Holy Communion,
you can say this prayer silently to yourself. If you
have not yet
received your First Communion, you can still say this prayer because of your desire to
receive Jesus.
Father, through Jesus, in communion with the whole Church, I thank you for coming into my heart. As we begin this Holy Week, help us to
say "Yes” to your invitation to follow your Son Jesus, who gave his life
for all people. Give us strength and
grace, so that we may pass with him from death to the life which comes from
you.
This week…
Straighten up your prayer
corner
This coming week is very rich in sacred events.
It is bringing us closer to Easter. To prepare yourself to receive the risen
Christ, you can put your prayer corner in order by getting rid of everything
that is cluttering it up. Remove your lenten booklet and put it away. In its
place, you can arrange a small green branch in honor of Palm Sunday.
Holy Week is a perfect time to make up with
someone, and to tell those around you - your family, your friends - how much
you love them. You can also ask to see a priest receive the sacrament of
reconciliation.
Crossword Puzzle
