Palm Sunday

Blessings on him who comes in the name of the Lord.

Mark 11:10

Begin with a few moments of quiet.

The intention is to open yourself to the presence of God within you.

Find a comfortable space and when ready, take three deep breaths. As you breathe in feel your lungs filling all the way up, when they are full slowly release your breath and feel your lungs emptying out fully. Repeat this three times.

Now return to breathing normally and take a few moments to reflect on:

  • Where in the past week did I encounter God in my life?
  • Where in the past week did I inhibit God in my life?

If you like to have some quiet music playing during this click below.

Grace and Peace – Eric Nordhoff

Introducing the Gospel

A difficulty with the Palm Sunday Scripture readings is that we move very quickly from the exultant arrival of Jesus into Jerusalem through to his death, almost without pause.

So in this prayer space we are going to spend time with that first Gospel passage for Sunday, Mark’s description of the entry into Jerusalem.

The birth and death of Jesus of Nazareth was not a construct of a frustrated God, a God looking at humanity as something that was failing … the birth and death of Jesus of Nazareth takes place in the continuing story of Creation …. at a point when creation was ready to unfold the fullness of the human person. Our invitation is to reflect on our part in that unfolding, to reflect on the Jubilation, the expectation, the hope …… and to finish with the intention to live the coming week as the events unfold and to examine where I am in each of these …..

Read the Gospel Mark 11:1-10

Read the Gospel aloud, even if reading it on your own.

When they drew near to Jerusalem,
to Bethphage and Bethany, at the Mount of Olives,
Jesus sent two of his disciples, and said to them,
‘Go into the village opposite you,
and immediately as you enter it
you will find a colt tied, on which no one has ever sat;
untie it and bring it.
If any one says to you,
“Why are you doing this?” say,
“The Lord has need of it
and will send it back here immediately.’”

And they went away,
and found a colt tied at the door out in the open street;
and they untied it.
And those who stood there said to them,
‘What are you doing, untying the colt?’
And they told them what Jesus had said;
and they let them go.

And they brought the colt to Jesus,
and threw their garments on it;
and he sat upon it.
And many spread their garments on the road,
and others spread leafy branches
which they had cut from the fields.
And those who went before
and those who followed cried out,
‘Hosanna!
Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!
Blessed is the kingdom of our father David that is coming!
Hosanna in the highest!’

Reflect on the Gospel

Sit quietly now for a few moments and allow the images created by hearing the Gospel to emerge. Use some quietening music again if you wish.

Fairytale Ludovico Einaudi

When you are ready, read this reflection by Fr. Laurence Freeman OSB of the World Community for Christian Mediation.

Fr. Laurence Freeman OSB of the World Community for Christian Mediation offers a reflection on this Gospel as part of his daily reflections for Lent. Read it now by clicking here

  • How does that reflection change your reaction to this Gospel story?

Close the time of Prayer with the Our Father

Our Father, who art in heaven,
hallowed be thy name;
thy kingdom come,
thy will be done
on earth as it is in heaven.
Give us this day our daily bread,
and forgive us our trespasses,
as we forgive those who trespass against us;
and lead us not into temptation,
but deliver us from evil.

Take a moment now to bring to mind those you want to share peace with, family, friends, those where your relationship is broken.

Deliver us, Lord, we pray, from every evil,
graciously grant peace in our days,
that, by the help of your mercy,
we may be always free from sin
and safe from all distress,
as we await the blessed hope
and the coming of our Saviour, Jesus Christ. Amen

Additional Resources

Fr. Kieran O’Mahony offers a scriptural analysis on the Gospel of the Passion read in our Mass this day in written or on video.

Fr. Laurence Freeman OSB of the World Community for Christian Mediation offers a reflection on this Gospel as part of his daily reflections for Lent.

The following prayer is from the Center for Action and Contemplation community. We invite you to listen to or join with Richard Rohr in praying this prayer (see cac.org)

Loving God, you fill all things with a fullness and hope that we can never comprehend. Thank you for leading us into a time where more of reality is being unveiled for us all to see. We pray that you will take away our natural temptation for cynicism, denial, fear and despair. Help us have the courage to awaken to greater truth, greater humility, and greater care for one another. May we place our hope in what matters and what lasts, trusting in your eternal presence and love. Listen to our hearts’ longings for the healing of our suffering world. Please add your own intentions . . . Knowing, good God, you are hearing us better than we are speaking, we offer these prayers in all the holy names of God. Amen.