On this day, the Lord Christ entered the temple as a King, for His Kingdom was near.

The day had come when He would trample death by His death, destroy the kingdom of Satan, and redeem the whole world with His precious blood.

He entered the temple to establish a kingdom not of this world—a spiritual kingdom in the heart, built on love, not authority.

He entered Jerusalem, the city of the great King, and the city trembled at His coming.

They cried out, “Hosanna to the Son of David” (Matthew 21:9). Hosanna or Hoshanna means “Save us” — save us now, for the time of salvation has come.

Did they ask Him for salvation as the Son of David, or as the Son of Man, or as the Son of God—or all of these together?

He came to save the world from the bondage of Satan, sin, and the world—bondage far worse than slavery to the Romans.

Servitude to Caesar lasts only during this earthly exile, but servitude to Satan destroys the eternity of man altogether.

When Christ entered Jerusalem as King, the simple people rejoiced, while the elders and rulers were troubled.

The humble looked at His kingship objectively, and their hearts were filled with joy. But the chief priests, elders of the people, and teachers could not free their minds from self-interest… This selfishness troubled their hearts, guided all their actions, and led them to envy, conspiracy, and crime—things unworthy of their priesthood, their knowledge, or their ideals.

These rulers and teachers complained, saying, “Behold, the whole world has gone after Him.” Strange! What harm was there in everyone following Him? Was this not what John the Baptist longed for—that the bride should belong to the Bridegroom?

But these leaders and teachers were not of the same spirit as John the Baptist. They could not even say that John’s baptism was from heaven. When Christ asked them about it, they replied, “We do not know,” though they knew well enough!

Yet their self-interest led them to falsehood. Love of fame, love of possessing the crowds, delivered their minds to a reprobate state. They saw Christ as a rival—and so they hated Him!

Christ entered Jerusalem as King, but they rejected Him. They refused to let Him reign over them, saying, “We have no king but Caesar!”—though they had been waiting for the Messiah to free them from Caesar! Truly, how easily self-love leads to flattery and hypocrisy when it seems to serve one’s own ends, as the distorted mind imagines…

Their rejection of Christ did not harm Him—it only harmed themselves.

Christ was establishing the Kingdom, building the Church, and accomplishing the work of salvation. Meanwhile, those rulers and teachers busied themselves with negativity: plotting conspiracies, encouraging betrayal, planning His death, and feeling the height of satisfaction whenever Satan helped them fulfill their wicked desires.

But the opposition and conspiracies of those priests did not stop the Kingdom of Christ.

This meek King, who entered Jerusalem riding on a colt, who “reigned from the tree,” who established His Kingdom while the nails were in His hands—His reign spread to the ends of the earth despite all conspiracies.

And you, O blessed one, what are your meditations on Palm Sunday—the commemoration of proclaiming Christ as King in Jerusalem?

Say to Him: Come, Lord, and reign. Let Your Kingdom come in my heart and in the hearts of all people. Let Your Kingdom come upon every nation and in every land.

Reign, O Lord, over my thoughts, my feelings, my senses, my desires, my possessions, and my time, that I may become wholly Yours.

Remove from me, O Lord, all that hinders Your Kingdom within me.

Take away from me the self-centeredness that kept Your Kingdom from the chief priests of the Jews. Take away from me the literalism that excluded the Pharisees from Your Kingdom. Remove from me envy and jealousy, by which the elders and rulers turned away from You.

Do not allow anything within my heart to compete with You.

Come, Lord, and cleanse Your temple, which is my heart. I have brought into it the tables of the money changers through my love of wealth and my attachment to material things. My heart is no longer a house of prayer, as You desire. Grant me, O Lord, the love that will make this heart a house of prayer.