Today, we enter into Palm Sunday—the commemoration of Jesus’ solemn entry into Jerusalem. In the sacred atmosphere of the Mass, each of us holds green branches in our hands, simple yet deeply meaningful. These branches echo the joyful cries of the people long ago, proclaiming Jesus as King and Savior.

Yet the King we honor today is not a king of worldly power. Christ is the King of love, humility, and self-giving. He enters Jerusalem not to be glorified, but to walk the path of the Cross.

The branches we hold today will soon wither, reminding us how fleeting earthly glory is. Palm Sunday opens before us the way of the Passion—a path where suffering, sacrifice, and love reach their fullness.

As we walk with Jesus on this journey, we are invited to embrace the crosses in our own lives. Not to carry them in sorrow and despair, but in deep hope. For in Jesus, the Cross and the Resurrection are inseparable. Suffering and death do not lead us into a dead end, but instead guide us toward new life.

May each of us, holding these branches today, not stop at words of praise, but truly follow Him to Calvary—so that, passing through the Cross with Him, we may also share in the light of the Resurrection.