laid their garments upon them, and made Him sit thereon. And a very great multitude spread their garments in the way: and others cut boughs from the trees, and strewed them in tho way: and the multitudes that went before, and that followed, cried, saying: Hosanna to the Son of David! blessed is He that cometh in the name of the Lord.
Why did Jesus enter with so much solemnity into Jerusalem?
To present Himself as the promised Messias and King of the Jews, Whose triumphant entry into Jerusalem the prophet Zachary had predicted.
Why did the people go to meet Jesus with palms in their hands?
It was done by a divine inspiration, to show that Jesus, as the victor over death, Satan, and hell, would gain for us the palm of peace with God, our neighbor, and ourselves, and that He would open to us the heavenly Jerusalem. And yet these same people, five days later, desired His death, crying out, " Crucify Him!" Learn, therefore, to confide in God alone, and not in man; for he who is with you to-day may be against you to-morrow. Be cautious, therefore, and watchful, lest, imitating the changeableness of the people, you at Easter receive your Saviour with joy, and then after a little by new sins crucify Him again (Heb. vi. 6).
THE PASSION OF OUR LORD JESUS CHRIST.
According to Matt. xxvi. and xxvii.
At that time Jesus said to His disciples: You know that after two days shall be the Pasch, and the Son of man shall be delivered up to be crucified. Then were gathered together the chief priests and ancients of the people into the court of the high priest, who was called Caiphas: and they consulted together, that by subtilty they might apprehend Jesus and put Him to death. But they said: Not on the festival-day, lest perhaps there should be a tumult among the people. And when Jesus was in Bethania, in the house of Simon the leper, there came to Him a woman having an alabaster box of precious ointment, and poured it on His head as He was at table. And the disciples seeing it, had indignation, saying: To what purpose is this waste? for this might have been sold for much, and given to the
