Text Box: PALM SUNDAY OF THE LORD’S PASSION Holy week begins with Palm Sunday—called Passion Sunday (this year March 16) - because the theme of Jesus’ suffering and death begins with the reading of the passion. Parish liturgies begin with the blessing of palms somewhere outside of the usual assembly area, in imitation of the triumphant “parade” of Jesus from “Bethany” to “Jerusalem” (Matthew 21:1-11). The gospel of Jesus’ triumphant entry into Jerusalem is read, followed by a procession into church, with people holding blessed palms and singing festive songs. Immediately afterwards, the theme of triumph changes radically with the reading of the passion narrative from the gospel according to Matthew. Palm Sunday liturgy is devoted, therefore, more to the suffering of Jesus than to his triumphant reception by the people. By telescoping these events, the church emphasizes the meaning of Holy Week rather than presents an accurate historical progression of saving events. On Palm Sunday, the church celebrates the beginning of Jesus’ passage from life to death to new life: the Paschal Mystery. PALMS Originally, people paraded or processed in the original footsteps of Jesus from the little village of Bethany into the city of Jerusalem. As part of the festivities, they carried real palm fronds or olive branches, the two most common trees in Palestine (see Matthew 21:18). These were replaced with local versions of “palms” as the celebration of Palm Sunday spread throughout Europe and then the entire world: Willow branches, Cedar branches, Pussy Willows, and flowers. The “palm branches” commonly used in the United States are “Ground Palms” from Texas. Ponce de Leon, the Spanish explorer, arrived at the territory now known as the state of Florida on Palm Sunday in 1513. He named the territory Florida because of the abundance of flowers evident, and because flowers were used for palms in his native country of Spain. Blessed palms have always been respected as holy objects or Sacramentals. Some families place one or more on the wall behind a crucifix or holy picture until the next Palm Sunday, or they might braid them into crosses for wall decorations. Others save them and burn a little when some crisis, such as a storm, threatens. This custom may have originated in Austria, Bavaria, and Slavic countries where it was common to scatter bits of blessed palms around on the farm to protect fields and animals against bad weather and diseases. Some of these traditions may very well be superstitious practices, presuming that there is special power in the plants themselves. Already in ancient times, Greeks and Romans believed that certain plants possessed mystical powers. Such was the case of mistletoe among the Druids in Celtic lands. Before the beginning of Lent the following year, blessed palms are burned at the local church and the ashes used in the Ash Wednesday ritual. Text Box: EASTER DUTIES—Confession & Holy Communion between 1st Sunday of Lent & Most Holy Trinity Sunday. ALMS GIVING Many people around the world are hungry every day. They have no chance to satisfy their hunger even once. This time of the Holy Season of Lent is also the time of sharing. Our Lord Jesus said: “I say to you, whatever you did for one of these least brothers of mine, you did for me”!!!. Please share whatever you have with others, who are less fortunate than you. We are collecting imperishable food items for the Saint Vincent de Paul Society to feed the hungry people in Oakland.. In the vestibule of our church barrels for food are placed. PLEASE SHARE YOUR FOOD WITH HUNGRY PEOPLE. Next weekend March 15/16 on Palm Sunday we collect Operation Rice Bowl with your financial donations. Paper Bowls are placed next to the Bulletin. Please take home 1 per family. THANK YOU FOR YOR GENEROSITY. TRIDUUM SACRUM Holy Thursday March 20, Good Friday March 21 and Holy Saturday March 22 together with Easter Sunday of the Resurrection is the culmination of the entire liturgical year. What, really, do the Liturgies of the Triduum celebrate? Most all of us believe we know the answer. We assume that Holy Thursday commemorates the day Jesus instituted the Holy Eucharist and Holy Priesthood; Friday commemorates the day He was executed on the Cross; and the Holy Saturday Vigil commemorates His emergence from the Tomb. The Easter Triduum of the Passion and Resurrection of Jesus Christ is the culmination of the entire Liturgical Year. Thus the Solemnity of Easter has the same kind of preeminence in the Liturgical Year that Sunday has in the week. The Eastern Churches call every Sunday “LITTLE RESURECTION”. In the Russian language, Sunday is called: Voskreseniie – Resurrection. PLEASE, COME AND PARTICIPATE IN THESE VERY SACRED DAYS: Holy Thursday Holy Thursday begins the Triduum, which from the 4th cen­tury celebrated the Paschal Mystery. Originally these three days began on Good Friday. It was natural, however, to in­clude Holy Thursday because Good Friday was reckoned from sunset on the previous evening. The oldest and still official name of this day is Thursday of the Lord’s Supper. It com­memorates the historical gospel events surrounding the Last Supper and the institution of the Holy Eucharist. Maundy Thursday, another popular title in English-speaking countries, comes from the solemn ritual of washing of feet in imitation of Jesus at his Last