Hosanna on Palm Sunday, what about Lent?

We observe Palm Sunday in various ways with our Palm branches on the streets or in our church buildings, but what about the Lent season?

The Lent season is a 40-day period that begins on Ash Wednesday and ends on the Saturday before Easter Sunday, when we celebrate the resurrection of our Lord Jesus Christ. Lent is a time of prayer, fasting, and giving to charity. The Lent season lasts 40 days, just as Jesus (Matthew 4:1–2), Moses (Exodus 34:28), and Elijah (1 Kings 19:8–9) spent 40 days and nights praying and fasting.

Lent is a time of preparation and an opportunity to go deeper with God. It is a time of personal reflection that prepares our hearts and minds for Good Friday in the Easter Celebration.

So when we wave our branches on Palm Sunday to remember the week when Jesus entered Jerusalem, with just a week left in Lent, we can connect to the season of Lent, praying and preparing our hearts for Good Friday.

Hosanna on Palm Sunday:

The next day, the large crowd that had come to the Passover Festival heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem. So they took branches of palm trees and went out to meet him, shouting, “Praise God! God bless him who comes in the name of the Lord! God bless the King of Israel!” (John 12:12–13)

Maundy Thursday is the day before Good Friday; it commemorates the night before Jesus was crucified. There was so much tension in the air as the disciples shared the last supper (Passover meal) with Jesus. The communion (bread and wine) we take was established that night as an everlasting blood covenant.

While they were eating, Jesus took a piece of bread, gave a prayer of thanks, broke it, and gave it to his disciples. “Take and eat it,” he said, “this is my body.” Then he took a cup, gave thanks to God, and gave it to them. “Drink it, all of you,” he said; “this is my blood, which seals God’s covenant, my blood poured out for many for the forgiveness of sins. (Matthew 26:26–28)

On Good Friday, we remember the death of Jesus. It is a Good Friday because through His death, our sins are forgiven, and we have eternal life.

He went out, carrying his cross, and came to “The Place of the Skull,” as it is called. (In Hebrew, it is called “Golgotha.”) There they crucified him; and they also crucified two other men, one on each side, with Jesus between them. (John 19:17–18)

On Easter Sunday, we celebrate the joyful resurrection of Jesus, which gives eternal life to all who believe in Him.

‘The Son of Man must be handed over to sinners, be crucified, and three days later rise to life.’ (Luke 24:6)

Jesus said to her, “I am the resurrection and the life. Those who believe in me will live, even though they die; and those who live and believe in me will never die. Do you believe this?” (John 11:25–26)

As we celebrate Palm Sunday, we are in the last week of Lent, so let’s observe this week as a holy week and get into prayer so we can tap into the season’s blessings.

Hosanna on Palm Sunday, let yourself go, and throughout the Easter Season, let’s go deep with God, not just a surface level of faith.