Palm Sunday (2024)

Sermon of Father John A. Perricone for Palm Sunday given on Sunday, March 24th, 2024 at Our Lady of Sorrows Church, Jersey City, New Jersey

The sermon focuses on the mystical symbolism of Palm Sunday.

Media courtesy of Cantantes In Cordibus. Find their livestreams at facebook.com/cantantesincordibus.

Downloadable audio for all sermons can be found here.

Transcription:

In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost. Amen.

All together standing outside of church a few minutes ago to not have escape from us the heavy mystical symbolism that we’re living through.

All of us standing outside representing all the fallen children of Adam and Eve, afflicted by original sin.

The church of course, with its locked doors in front of which we stood, this is, paradise. Or in the typology of the Church, it is here that there is the New Jerusalem. 

As the choir sang outside the Church and we listened, there were cries of you and I poor banished children of Eve, wanting desperately to come into Heaven.

And if you listened carefully, some of the choir were on the inside of the Church and they were singing and chanting. They represented to us the angels in Heaven. Waiting for us. Recognizing that we were unable to enter until Christ shed his blood on Calvary. The priest representing the Alter Christus, waits for the Crucifer to bang on the doors of the Church, almost like an angel, announcing that Christ is here, to open the gates of Paradise. The doors came open, and you and I marched in, to Heaven.

There is other symbolism, mystical symbolism today. The palms. The blessed palms that we hold in our hands, as the Jews did 2,000 years ago. We know that on Palm Sunday they raised those palms to declare Christ their King. And only several days later, they raised their fists and begged Pilate to crucify him. Why? Because their love   was superficial. They did not want to abandon their hearts for the heart of our savior, they simply wanted him to be a beneficiary. Taking care of him through his might and power. All they wanted were signs and wonders. They did not want grace and salvation.

As you and I hold our blessed palms at this moment, here is that purple… mystical symbolism. On the one hand we’ll bring those palms home as a sign to us for the rest of the year that we stand in the dominion of Christ, the King of Kings. And yet, know full well that like those Jews 2,000 years ago, our love often falters. Because our love is fickle. One day love of Christ runs through us with great sanguinity. And tomorrow, it grows cool. Our love is weak. It is all too often, it depends upon sentiment and feeling rather than the heroic strength of virtue. Oh, how happy we are when our Lord sends us his blessings. And how unconsolable we are, when he chooses to send us his crosses.

Indeed, we will hold our blessed palms today and bring them home, as a sign that you and I are subjects of the King of Kings. But also recognize, that we are subjects who at any moment, can turn traitor.

God bless you.