Weekly Newsletter

Glory to Jesus Christ!

In today’s Gospel (Jn 12:1–18) and on Palm Sunday, we behold two profound movements of the heart: loving devotion and joyful acclaim. In Bethany, Mary pours costly fragrant oil upon the feet of Jesus, and “the house was filled with the fragrance of the oil” (Jn 12:3). Soon after, the crowds go out to meet Him with palm branches, crying, “Hosanna! Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord, the King of Israel!” (Jn 12:13).

For Byzantine Catholics, these scenes are inseparable. Mary’s humble, sacrificial love reveals the true kingship of Christ—one not rooted in earthly power, but in self-giving love. The palms raised in triumph already cast the shadow of the Cross, for Jesus enters Jerusalem knowing “the hour has come for the Son of Man to be glorified” (Jn 12:23). Palm Sunday thus holds together praise and suffering, joy and obedience, glory and the path to Golgotha.

In our liturgy, we sing both victory and preparation. Christ is the King who comes gently, inviting us not merely to honor Him with words, but to follow Him with our lives. Like Mary, we are called to offer what is precious; like the crowd, we are called to proclaim Him boldly—yet unlike the fleeting enthusiasm of the multitude, our “Hosanna” must endure through Good Friday and into the Resurrection.

1. Offer Christ something costly and concrete—time in prayer, an act of mercy, or self-denial—without counting the cost.
2. Praise the Lord not only in church, but in daily speech and actions, witnessing to His kingship with humility.
3. Enter Holy Week intentionally: attend all the services, read the Passion, and walk with Christ from palms to the Cross, trusting in the joy of Pascha to come.