Second Sunday of Passiontide - Palm Sunday

I. Background Reading -

• Palm Sunday consists of two parts: 
• The Procession with Palms 
• This celebrates the Triumphal Entry of Jesus into Jerusalem one week before his crucifixion. 
• Many of the same people who were there to rejoice at his entry would have also called for him to be crucified. 
• The Passion of Jesus Christ
• The Passion of Jesus Christ is the full story of Jesus's suffering from the Gospel according to St. Matthew. 
• The other Gospels all contain the same story, told in different ways. 
• The Passion from the other three Gospels is read throughout Holy Week. 

II. Read Matt. 21, 1-9.

• Why did Jesus ride on a donkey? 
• How did the crowd react to Jesus's entry into Jerusalem? 
• What Old Testament King did the crowd reference as Jesus entered? 

III. Read Philippians 2, 5-11.

• Is Jesus God? 
• Even though Jesus was God, how did he "humble Himself"? 
• The cross was the method of execution that the Romans used against slaves who rebelled. What words or phrases from this Epistle seem to reference slavery? 
• In what ways has God exalted (honored) the name of Jesus? 
• In what sense were we once slaves? How has God exalted us? 

IV. Read Matt. 27, 36-54. 

• During the triumphal entry, Jesus was called the "Son of David." How does Pilate confirm this? How do the people, scribes, and elders respond to the title? 
• What happened when Jesus died on the cross? 
• The veil separated the inner Holy of Holies from the outer temple. Inside the Holy of Holies, previously, there had been the Ark of the Covenant, but it was lost centuries earlier. The Ark of the Covenant was a golden box containing the stone tablets onto which the Commandments had been inscribed, along with Moses's staff and the manna that God gave them in the desert. What do you think the ripping of the veil symbolized? 

V. Catechism Lesson
Penny Catechism, no. 57-61

57. On what day did our Saviour die?

 

Our Saviour died on Good Friday.

 

58. Where did our Saviour die?

 

Our Saviour died on Mount Calvary.

 

59. Why do we make the sign of the cross?

 

We make the sign of the cross - first, to put us in mind of the Blessed Trinity: and secondly, to remind us that God the Son died for us on the Cross.

 

60. In making the sign of the cross how are we reminded of the Blessed Trinity?

 

In making the sign of the cross we are reminded of the Blessed Trinity by the words, 'In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit'.

 

61. In making the sign of the cross how are we reminded that Christ died for us on the Cross?

 

In making the sign of the cross we are reminded that Christ died for us on the Cross by the very form of the cross which we make upon ourselves

VI. Catechism Review Questions (for next week) 

1. On what day did Jesus die? 

2. With what prayer do we remind ourselves of the Cross? 

3. What other doctrine do we profess while we say this prayer? 

VII. Class Activities

1. Begin with the Catechism Review Questions from last week. 
2. Show the students a palm (either blessed or unblessed). Demonstrate how to turn the palm into a cross. Explain that this symbolizes the two parts of today's liturgy. 
3. Divide the class into three groups of mixed ages. Each group should take a lesson from Holy Scripture and discuss the questions under it. 
4. Have a member from each group read the Bible lesson. Then ask them about the discussion questions. After each question, allow members of other groups to ask questions about the discussion. 
5. Read the catechism lesson chorally. Answer any questions that students may have about the Catechism reading. Remind the students to study their Catechism lesson for next week.