Palm Sunday itself recalls the triumphal entry of Jesus into Jerusalem at the beginning of Passover Week. The crowds were ecstatic and welcomed him as they would welcome a conquering hero. They spread their cloaks on the ground for him to ride over on his donkey, and they waved palm branches as he passed by on his way into the holy city. We re-enact that historical event by gathering outside our local church where we hear the gospel account of the first Palm Sunday, and then joyfully make our way in procession into the church, God’s holy city. 

There we listen to readings from the Bible culminating in Saint Luke’s account of the Passion and Death of our Lord. That we are making present these events rather than simply listening to stories about them is brought home to us when we join in the reading of the Passion as individual characters in the story or as the ‘crowd.’ We then go on to celebrate the Eucharist.