When I was a kid, Palm Sunday was that day in church when those big leafy fauna things were handed out—and mine always got taken away for whacking my brother in the back of the head with them during Mass. I suppose it was a lack of communication on my part for never expressing my confusion about why we were doing what we were doing. I just figured that someday, someone would clue me in, the same way they eventually did about Communion.
No one ever really did, and eventually, I stopped being so curious about it anyway. Perhaps it sounds a bit dysfunctional to you, but it was just one of those things that simply was. Time went on, and eventually, my curiosity piqued again, so I did a little digging—now that I was a bit older.
As it turns out, I was a little embarrassed to discover that the palms we were given were symbols of many important things. All I had seen in them was a new weapon in the ongoing whacking tournament with my beloved sibling. Palm leaves and palm trees are actually quite significant in both Jewish and Christian traditions. Depending on the denomination, palm leaves can represent good fortune, health, wealth, intelligence, blessings—and in some cases, even symbolize Jesus himself.
In Christianity, Palm Sunday is always held on the Sunday before Easter. The Christian calendar allows Easter Sunday to fall on any date between March 15th and April 18th. I’m not entirely sure how I feel about the 2007 date of April 1st, but either way, Palm Sunday lands the week before that. Some denominations hold a feast that day to commemorate Jesus’ triumphant entry into Jerusalem. According to some accounts, the people of Jerusalem welcomed and honored him by laying down clothing, food, and palm leaves at his feet. He was, of course, crucified a week later.
The Deeper Meaning Behind Palm Sunday
The Sunday prior to Easter is officially known as “Passion Sunday,” although most people refer to it as Palm Sunday, as it was referenced by the Roman Catholic Church. Passion Sunday marks the beginning of a very holy week—one that was led by Jesus and culminated in his death and resurrection. His time in Jerusalem was well spent; no matter where he was or what scrutiny he faced, Jesus remained at peace in his heart and was determined to touch the lives of those around him.
We cannot explore the meaning of Palm Sunday without acknowledging its misinterpretations. Palm Sunday is not, historically, the beginning of Christianity. In fact, Christianity didn’t become an actual denomination until several hundred years later. Jesus was, in fact, a Jew, and so were his followers. For centuries after his death, the original “Christians” were a sect within Judaism. Sadly, despite these historical facts, Palm Sunday later became associated with the rise of anti-Semitism. The anti-Semites of both the past and present often fail to acknowledge that it was the Roman authorities—not the Jewish people—who ordered and carried out Jesus’ execution.
Palm Sunday is naturally celebrated differently across denominations, but the basic meaning remains universal. In reverence to Jesus’ teachings and in honor of his incredible life on Earth, we gather with palm fronds, olive branches, fig branches, or whatever fauna is available, and celebrate the life that was lived just before the death.
On behalf of the small children who will receive their token symbols of Jesus’ entry into the Holy City, let this be a gentle reminder: thorough explanations about the meaning of what goes on in church can go a long way in helping a child grow spiritually. It’s easy to assume that they are grasping everything from the service, but often the language used in religious ceremonies is too complex for young minds to follow. So, when little Junior starts whacking someone on the head with his holy symbol, a bit of education will go a lot farther than simply taking it away.
