1. GOSPEL OF LUKE 19:28-40 SIXTH SUNDAY OF LENT: PALM SUNDAY The Liturgical Context of this passage is very important: Here the Gospel is at the beginning of the liturgy while the priest stands outside the church to prepare the Palms for their blessing, symbolically making present the events of the Gospel. The priest will process in to the Church like Christ who entered Jerusalem in his Triumph! Jesus entered the Messiah’s gate which was and is the only way to enter directly into the Sacred Temple of Jerusalem.

2. GOSPEL OF LUKE 19:28-40 SIXTH SUNDAY OF LENT: PALM SUNDAY Intro Gospel: At The Procession With Palms – Gospel LK 19:28-40 Jesus proceeded on his journey up to Jerusalem. As he drew near to Bethphage and Bethany at the place called the Mount of Olives, he sent two of his disciples. He said, “Go into the village opposite you, and as you enter it you will find a colt tethered on which no one has ever sat. Untie it and bring it here. And if anyone should ask you, ‘Why are you untying it?’ you will answer, ‘The Master has need of it.’” So those who had been sent went off and found very thing just as he had told them. And as they were untying the colt, its owners said to them, “Why are you untying this colt?” They answered, “The Master has need of it.” So they brought it to Jesus, threw their cloaks over the colt, and helped Jesus to mount. As he rode along, the people were spreading their cloaks on the road; and now as he was approaching the slope of the Mount of Olives, the whole multitude of his disciples began to praise God aloud with joy for all the mighty deeds they had seen. They proclaimed: “Blessed is the king who comes in the name of the Lord. Peace in heaven and glory in the highest.” Some of the Pharisees in the crowd said to him, “Teacher, rebuke your disciples.” He said in reply, “I tell you, if they keep silent, the stones will cry out!”

3. GOSPEL OF LUKE 13:1-9 SIXTH SUNDAY OF LENT Palm Sunday - Question 1: What struck your Heart? How did God speak to you in this passage? What was of curious interest in this passage? What bothered you?

4. GOSPEL OF LUKE 13:1-9 SIXTH SUNDAY OF LENT Palm Sunday: Question 2: Why do you think it said Jesus went “up to Jerusalem”? Answer: This is said whenever someone goes to Jerusalem in the Bible … they go “up” meaning that Jerusalem in the center of the world. Looking at the map, you see that it really is the center of the world in a sense. But in a spiritual sense, everything in history points to God’s chosen people through whom we have the Messiah (Jesus) and the world’s salvation!

5. GOSPEL OF LUKE 13:1-9 SIXTH SUNDAY OF LENT Palm Sunday: Question 3: Why do you think Jesus wanted to ride a colt/donkey into Jerusalem? Answer: There is a prophecy from the book of Micah that says that the Messiah will enter triumphantly into Jerusalem on the “colt of an ass”; which has always been confusing to theologians because, well, which one was it? Well the donkey symbolizes humility and the colt symbolizes that he is a king or prince. Jesus was the only person, known in history to do this colt/donkey Jerusalem entrance through what is called the “Messiah’s Gate.” All of this is a fulfillment of the prophesy, and thus historical “proof” that Jesus really was who he claimed to be … God in the flesh.

6. GOSPEL OF LUKE 13:1-9 SIXTH SUNDAY OF LENT Palm Sunday - Question 4: What is the significance of the Mount of Olives? Answer: Whenever Jesus visited Jerusalem he seems to have stayed in the gardens of the Mount of Olives, which is directly across the valley from the eastern walls of Jerusalem. It is likely where the disciples had spent the last two Passovers (biggest religious holiday of Jews) with Jesus. They had seen him do might miracles in Jerusalem and perhaps had talked about them in reference to his being Messiah in years past. It was a place of mysterious affection for Jesus as both God and man – and excitement of what this means for them and the world!

7. GOSPEL OF LUKE 13:1-9 SIXTH SUNDAY OF LENT Palm Sunday - Question 5: Why did the Pharisees rebuke Jesus’s disciples and the people? Answer: The people were saying: “Blessed is the king who comes in the name of the Lord. Peace in heaven and glory in the highest.” This was a public declaration of the Jerusalem people that Jesus is the long expected savior of the Jews and of the world. The Pharisees are the spiritual leaders of Israel and Jerusalem. So they wanted to and believed they were the legitimate authorities of discerning and declaring this as true or false.

8. GOSPEL OF LUKE 13:1-9 SIXTH SUNDAY OF LENT Palm Sunday - Question 6: What’s the takeaway? How did your mindset change? Answer: Jesus said in reply, “I tell you, if they keep silent, the stones will cry out!” I need to reflect and ask: ‘Do I rejoice in God’s love, his graces, his friendship in my life? Or do I let others do that? How do I see things in my life? Do I see great things as gifts and miracles or as ordinary and coincidence?

9. TAKEAWAY: JESUS’ SUFFERING WAS HIS GLORY! I WILL EMBRACE MY CROSSES FOR HIS PRAISE! PALM SUNDAY 2016 SIXTH SUNDAY OF LENT

10. “JOIN ME TONIGHT! BATTLE FOR SOULS YOU WILL SAVE YOUR OWN IF YOU FIGHT IN PRAYER, FASTING AND IN WORKS OF CHARITY” JESUS CHRIST - LENT 2016

11. “ ENTER THIS PASSION WEEK AS NEVER YOU HAVE BEFORE… ENTER WITH ME! PRAY WITH ME! SUFFER WITH ME!” JESUS CHRIST - PASSION WEEK 2016