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March 28, 2021This is the week that Jesus goes from King to Convict. That’s what happens to Jesus in the two Gospels we read on Palm Sunday, the start of Holy Week. He goes from King to convict.
Ever wonder why on Palm Sunday after reading about the triumphal entry of Jesus into Jerusalem, we then read of his Passion?
Well, the tradition of proclaiming the Gospel of the passion and death of Jesus Christ during the celebration of the Sunday before Easter goes back more than 1500 years. And, between Palm Sunday, and Good Friday the Church will drive home through the Scripture readings, in an almost painful way, what Jesus did for us - that Christ went from King to convict, for us.
In fact, although we all know the beginning of Holy Week as Palm Sunday, officially, the Church refers to this day as Passion Sunday. Or, Palm Sunday of the Passion of our Lord. Because this day begins Holy week, the most sacred week in our Church Calendar. This is the week when we watch as Jesus goes from one exalted to one executed. From King to convict.
What also makes this week unique is that it is a week when Jesus makes a very public display of Himself. Think about it, for most of his ministry He wanted to keep his actions secret. When He would heal people, He would ask them to keep it quiet. When He was transfigured on Mount Tabor before Peter, James and John, He asked them to keep it quiet. But, today He makes a very public and open display of himself. Why? Well, because it was just the right time.
St. Paul in his letter to the Galatians uses the term, “the fullness of time “What that means is that God planned the redemption of humankind from the beginning. And at just the right time, God sent his Son into the world. The time of the incarnation, crucifixion, and resurrection is the time of completeness — the time when God fulfilled the promises of the Old Testament.
This week is just the right time in God’s plan. On Palm Sunday, on entering into Jerusalem in such a public way, Jesus is starting the sequence of events that God had planned from the beginning. From the entry into Jerusalem to his crucifixion, it all had to be. The Hosannas, the arrest, the denials by his friends, the pain and suffering, the death - It all had to be! Jesus had to go from King to convict. He had to go from Exalted to Executed.
But, as we know, God’s plan for Jesus and us has a happy ending. God’s plan was to sacrifice his own son to redeem us! That’s why we are an Easter people! As the old Gospel song goes “Oh Happy Day, Oh Happy Day When Jesus Washed My Sins Away”
Oh Happy Day, the day when Jesus goes from King to Convict to King of Kings!!!!
Have A Blessed Holy Week
