The Processional Texts for Palm Sunday (Zechariah 9:9-12; Matthew 21:1-9)

Send us Fan MailIn this episode we will be looking at the traditional texts that have been used for Palm Sunday, especially prior to the 3-year lectionary. The Gospel reading here is the text most often read prior to processing into the sanctuary with palms. It is good to understand Zechariah as it explains the symbolism of the Triumphal Entry of Christ into Jerusalem.Zechariah 9:9-12Rejoice greatly, O daughter Zion!    Shout aloud, O daughter Jerusalem!Lo, your king comes to you;    triumphant and victorious is he,humble and riding on a donkey,    on a colt, the foal of a donkey.He will cut off the chariot from Ephraim    and the war-horse from Jerusalem;and the battle bow shall be cut off,    and he shall command peace to the nations;his dominion shall be from sea to sea,    and from the River to the ends of the earth.As for you also, because of the blood of my covenant with you,    I will set your prisoners free from the waterless pit.Return to your stronghold, O prisoners of hope;    today I declare that I will restore to you double.Matthew 21:1-9When they had come near Jerusalem and had reached Bethphage, at the Mount of Olives, Jesus sent two disciples, saying to them, “Go into the village ahead of you, and immediately you will find a donkey tied, and a colt with her; untie them and bring them to me. If anyone says anything to you, just say this, ‘The Lord needs them.’ And he will send them immediately.” This took place to fulfill what had been spoken through the prophet, saying,“Tell the daughter of Zion,Look, your king is coming to you,    humble, and mounted on a donkey,        and on a colt, the foal of a donkey.”The disciples went and did as Jesus had directed them; they brought the donkey and the colt, and put their cloaks on them, and he sat on them. A very large crowd spread their cloaks on the road, and others cut branches from the trees and spread them on the road. The crowds that went ahead of him and that followed were shouting,“Hosanna to the Son of David!    Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord!Hosanna in the highest heaven!”