Palm Sunday celebrates a joyful moment in Jesus’ life, with smiles from the Mount of Olives to the temple, which helps reminisce when a friend asked a monk, “Father, do you ever get tired of devoting all your time to God?”
We expected him to respond, “How can you be tired of God? That shows you aren’t a true believer…” Instead, he looked at us thoughtfully and shared a homily by St. Bernard: “On Palm Sunday, as the Master and His disciples descend from the Mount of Olives, some sing, some applaud, some spread their cloaks, and others wave palm branches—a lively scene.”
Some are closer to Jesus, while others are further away, yet everyone is happy. However, one character struggles the most—the donkey with her colt (Matthew 21:2), on which Jesus rides. She feels the full weight of carrying him up. She is closest to Jesus yet struggles the most, much like us. Our struggles may indicate our closeness to the Lord, as we carry Him and the weight of heaven’s burdens. The key is to keep going; Jerusalem is not far away.
Holy Week highlights the deep connection between God’s life and ours. The cross symbolizes God’s ultimate love, with Jesus’ outstretched arms carrying the weight of the world to open the gates of Eden again. This marks a new genesis rooted in the Creator’s deep love. Ultimately, God reveals life as a gift of self, ensuring we are never abandoned. In the cross of Jesus, true glory shines.