As we travel through this Holy Week together, we begin with the Palm Sunday of the Passion of the Lord.  This celebration starts with the sign of the cross, greeting, blessing and sprinkling of branches, the Gospel reading and a simple procession.  As we wave our palm branches, we cry, “Hosanna to the Son of David!” and “All Glory, Laud and Honor, to you redeemer King!”
Immediately, during this roller coaster of emotions, we bypass the penitential rite and hear in the collect:
“Almighty ever living God, who as an example of humility for the human race to follow caused our Savior to take flesh and submit to the Cross, graciously grant that we may heed his lesson of patient suffering and so merit a share in his Resurrection.”
The words from the Prophet Isaiah speak of the suffering servant who through obedience accepts humiliation, and through God’s help may not be disgraced.  The human element of Christ is brought out vividly in Psalm 122, as Jesus quotes from scripture on the Cross, “My God, My God, why have you abandoned me?”.
Most people have an image of a king as having riches, wealth and prestige. St. Paul to the Philippians defines Christ Jesus as King, as exactly opposite of those images. Instead he is a humble, poor, and faithful servant.
As the story of the Passion from Luke unfolds, we sit at table with Him as he reveals to us the Paschal Mystery.  In the same instance, he reveals his betrayers Peter and Judas. Peter, who would seek forgiveness and reform, and Judas, who would tragically retreat. We accompany him to the garden, but are revengeful, tired and cowardly.  We are judgmental and shamefully full of hate.  We are narrow minded in our philosophy and are so caught up in the law, that we fail to see the goodness of the one about to lay down his life for us.  Many words are exchanged from the crowd and others, while the King stands with very little words, ready to face courageously his ultimate death, which is done out of love and leads to our salvation. 
Through it all, we hear the one voice, “Jesus, remember me, when you come into your kingdom”, and the reply, “Amen, I say to you, today you will be with me in Paradise”. 
This is our hope. As the prayer over the offerings states, “ Through the Passion of your only Begotten Son, O Lord, may our reconciliation with you be near at hand, so that though we do not merit it by our own deeds, yet by the sacrifice made once for all, we may feel already the effects of your mercy.”
Therefore, as we raise our voices in song this weekend, let the words we sing express these themes and reflections.  May they carry us not only through this the holiest week of the church year, but beyond to our eternal home.
http://bit.ly/2UpsPLk