| Procession | Reading 1 | Response | Reading 2 | Gospel |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Lk 19:28-40 | Is 50:4-7 | Ps 22:8-9, 17-18, 19-20, 23-24 | Phil 2:6-11 | Lk 22:14–23:56 or Lk 23:1-49 |
| RCL: Is 50:4-9a | RCL: Phil 2:5-11 | Lk 22:14–23:56 |
Palm Sunday: Jesus arrives in Jerusalem
In the season of Lent, the believing community has followed Jesus as he is tested, transfigured, tells parables, forgives, and arrives in Jerusalem. As Lent comes to a close, this week’s readings focus on the roles of prophet, servant, healer, comforter, and savior.
Procession with palms reading (Lk 19:28-40)
The processional reading is from Luke’s gospel, which tells the story of Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem. For Jesus, his entry signals a last attempt to engage the people about the coming of God’s kingdom, knowing that his action might cost him his life. For his disciples, the meaning of Jesus’ entry didn’t become clear until after Jesus’ death and resurrection: Jesus is a king processing to his coronation, whose crown is made of thorns and whose throne is a cross. In today’s pericope, Luke doesn’t mention palm branches, possibly because palms were a national and political symbol. Instead, Luke emphasizes the crowd spreading their cloaks, a reference to Jehu’s entry (2 Kgs 9:14), with cries of “Jehu is king.” Jesus is acclaimed as “king” and “the one who comes.” “Peace in heaven and glory in the highest” deliberately echoes the angels’ song at Jesus’ nativity. The Lectionary editors chose this reading to introduce Jesus’ arrival in Jerusalem and the start of Holy Week.
First reading (Is 50:4-7)
The first reading is from the prophet Isaiah, specifically Second Isaiah, a prophet of the sixth century BC who foretold the exiles’ return and restoration. Today’s pericope is from Isaiah’s third servant song, which describes a prophet speaking to the Jewish people in exile in Babylon. The prophet does not refuse his divine vocation (“I have not rebelled”), even though he knows hearers will resist his message and assault him (“those who beat me”). The prophet, speaking for God, knows that God will support him (God is my help); he isn’t shamed by public humiliation (“I shall not be put to shame”). The Lectionary editors chose this reading because it echoes Jesus’ rejection and suffering in Luke’s passion narrative.
Second reading (Phil 2:6-11)
The second reading is from Paul’s letter to the Philippi ekklesia. He writes to the Philippians to encourage them toward unity, humility, peace, and joy. Paul confronts the believing community’s division, which Paul sees as rooted in their pride. In today’s pericope, Paul, quoting from a familiar hymn, cites Christ as a model of humility. Adam thought himself God’s equal; Jesus, who is God’s equal (“in the form of God”) freely chooses (“something to be grasped”) to suspend his divine nature (“emptied himself”) to become human. Jesus’ “humility” and “obedience” to God’s saving work leads to God raising Jesus and “exalting” him. Paul’s point is that the Philippians should model their own lives on Jesus’ life. Disciples who wish to be exalted by God (that is, be resurrected) should practice self-emptying humility. The Lectionary editors chose this reading because it echoes Isaiah’s servant song and summarizes Jesus’ saving work described in Luke’s passion narrative.
Gospel (Lk 22:14–23:56)
Luke’s gospel retells Jesus’ passion and death.
- Pericopes vs the passion narrative. The gospel authors based their writings on stories and oral traditions handed down within different believing communities. The writers collected and combined these short, isolated healings, exorcisms, signs, parables, sayings, and appearance stories into short units that scholars call pericopes. A pericope, from the Greek word περικοπή/pericopē, meaning “a snippet” or “a cutting,” is a quick snapshot of Jesus and his teaching. By contrast, all four gospels record Jesus’ passion as a single, continuous narrative, suggesting that the ancient oral traditions considered Jesus’ passion and death as the central, single meaning and message of his life. For this reason, the Lectionary editors present each evangelist’s complete passion narrative during Holy Week.
- The passion narratives. The evangelists’ stories of Jesus’ passion and death converge on the key events: Jesus came to Jerusalem to celebrate Passover in the holy city; he taught in the Temple; he disrupted the Temple-approved sales of sacrificial animals and the exchange of foreign money, which offended and worried the religious leaders; he was betrayed to the religious leaders by a friend; he celebrated a meal with his friends, during which he established a new memorial and covenant practice; he was arrested and questioned by the religious leaders; he was turned over to the Roman authorities, who condemned Jesus for sedition and crucified him.
- Luke’s choices and themes. Luke’s passion narrative shows Jesus as a prophet, one who heals, one who serves, a suffering righteous one, a universal savior; themes that Luke has developed throughout his gospel. Luke’s passion narrative also adds stories from his own research and his ekklesia‘s traditions: healing the high priest’s slave’s ear, Herod’s interrogation, Jesus meeting the women of Jerusalem, Jesus assuring the “good thief,” Jesus quoting Ps 31:6 (rather than Ps 22:2) at his death. In Luke’s passion, Jesus continues ministering and serving to the moment of his saving death.
Summary and reflection
Lent’s readings call us to walk with Jesus as he prepares for his transformative death. Today’s readings ask us to think about the meaning of Jesus’ life and death as interpreted by Luke. In the processional reading, Jesus is the anointed one (a king and prophet) who enters Jerusalem to announce the coming of God’s kingdom. Isaiah reflects on the prophet’s role to communicate God’s message to people who don’t always want to hear it. Paul uses a poem of prayer and worship to urge the Philippians to humility and to a Christ-centered life. Luke’s passion narrative reveals Jesus as prophet, servant, healer, comforter, and savior.
Jesus’ journey and triumphal entry into David’s city leads to his saving exodus. As we reflect on Jesus’ journey and our own Lenten journeys, we ask: How have we been tested, and how have we responded? How have we been transfigured, and how has that changed us? How have we learned patience, and how have we practiced it? What have we learned about forgiveness, and whom have we forgiven? What new things have we seen, and what new things have we given to others? Who has served us, and whom have we served?
—Terence Sherlock
The Lectionary In Context 