Blessed is He Who Cometh in the Name of the Lord

"Hebrew children bearing olive branches went forth to meet the Lord, crying out and saying: 'Hosanna in the highest.'"

​- Antiphon 1: Procession for Palm Sunday
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"The Second Sunday in Passiontide would be in any case a great and holy day as it commemorates the last triumph of Our Lord Jesus Christ on earth and opens Holy Week. On this day, the Church celebrates the triumphant entry of Our Lord into Jerusalem when the multitude, going before and following after Him, cut off branches from the trees and strewed them in His way, shouting: "Hosanna to the Son of David. Blessed is He that cometh in the Name of the Lord." It is in commemoration of this triumph that palms are blessed and born in solemn procession. In fact, this Palm Sunday triumph of Our Lord only led to His death. But we know that this death was not a failure. It was through His Passion and Death that He conquered the world and entered into His Kingdom." - 1962 Roman Missal

One of the great mysteries of all liturgical actions is that, in celebrating them, they make present again the realities of Christ's life. Though we were not physically there in Jerusalem at that precise moment with the crowds, waiving their psalms and saluting the King of Kings - by partaking in the Palm Sunday Processional, we are mystically transported to the streets of Jerusalem. What makes the events of Christ's life even more realistic to us is the union of our hearts and prayers with the text of the Holy Liturgy.  The processional rite contains within it 7 Antiphons which Holy Mother Church asks to become our own: 

​Antiphon 1: The Hebrew children bearing olive branches, went forth to meet the Lord, crying out, and saying: "Hosanna in the highest." 

Antiphon 2: The Hebrew children spread their garments in the way, and cried out saying: "Hosanna to the Son of David: blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord."

Antiphon 3: A great multitude that was met together at the festival cried out to the Lord: "Blessed is He that cometh in the Name of the Lord: Hosanna in the highest!"

Antiphon 4: Near the descent the whole multitude began with joy to praise God with a loud voice for all the mighty works they had seen saying: "Blessed be the King who cometh in the name of the Lord; peace on earth and glory on high."

Antiphon 5: All praise Thy name highly and say" Blessed is He who cometh in the name of the Lord: Hosanna in the highest."

Antiphon 6: We are strewn with the shining palms before the Lord as He approacheth; let us all run to meet Him with hymns and songs, glorify Him and say: "Blessed be the Lord!"

Antiphon 7: Hail, our King, O Son of David, O world's Redeemer, who prophets did foretell as the Savior to come of the house of Israel. For the Father sent Thee into the world as victim for salvation; from the beginning of the world all the saint awaited Thee: Hosanna now to the Son of David! Blessed be He who cometh in the name of the Lord. Hosanna in the highest!

With these words on our lips, let us clear a path for Christ to enter into our souls. May every sin and vice in our heart bow down to His power and reign. Let our every action echo those of the crowd, proclaiming that Christ is King. Let us run out to meet Him and lay down our will before Him like palm branches. Let us love Him as the Hebrew children did and be not ashamed to exclaim that Jesus is Lord! Let us follow Him as He rides into Jerusalem to His Passion, but let us not abandon Him as the crown did. Through the conflicts, betrayals, controversies, and ultimately passion and death of the Lord, let us hold steadfast in our belief that the same Christ Who today road triumphantly into Jerusalem is the same Christ Who triumphs over sin and death through sorrow, suffering, and death. 

Glory, praise, and honor to Thee, O King Christ, the Redeemer:
​to Whom children poured their glad and sweet hosanna song.