Hosanna (Palm) Sunday (2) by Wedad Tawfik, PhD - Coptic Orthodox Church

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Hosanna Sunday (Palm Sunday)

A Dogmatic Overview

(2)

    We have seen how readings and melodies of the Hosanna Sunday Eve highlight the Divinity and Humanity of the Lord Jesus Christ. Now we move to the readings of the Hosanna Sunday to see the Divinity and Humanity of the Lord presented clearly in them, beginning with the Matins Procession.

 +     The Divinity and Humanity of the Lord Jesus Christ in the readings from the Gospel, and the fulfillment of the prophecies in Him:

    Twelve Gospels are read in the Procession of the Cross on the Hosanna Day. Of course the Psalm read with each Gospel relates to the same occasion, and each Gospel is chosen to be suitable to the place where it is read around the church.

    The first reading of the Gospel in the Procession is done in front of the Main Sanctuary, from (John 1: 44-53):

+   The testimony of Philip before Nathanael that Jesus Christ is He in whom the prophecies are fulfilled: “We have found Him of whom Moses in the law, and also the prophets, wrote – Jesus of Nazareth, the Son of Joseph.” Then the testimony of Nathanael: “Rabbi, You are the Son of God! You are the King of Israel!” …

    The second reading from the Gospel in the Procession in front of the Holy Virgin’s Icon, from (Luke 1: 39-56):

+   The testimony that the Holy Virgin is the Mother of God: The leaping of John the Baptist in his mother’s womb on hearing the greeting of Mary, and Elizabeth filled with the Holy Spirit and say: “But why is this granted to me, that the mother of my Lord should come to me?” …

    The third reading from the Gospel in the Procession in front of Archangel Gabriel’s Icon, from (Luke 1: 26-38):

+   The Annunciation that the Lord Christ’s name will be Jesus and that He will be called the Son of the Highest, and will reign over the house of Jacob forever, and of His Kingdom will be no end … Here it is clear that He is not a mere Man, for He is born of a virgin upon whom the Holy Spirit comes and the power of the Highest overshadows her … 

    The fourth reading from the Gospel in the Procession in front of Archangel Michael’s Icon, from (Matthew 13: 44-53):

+    The task of the angels at the end of the world to separate the wicked from among the just; and comparing the kingdom of heaven to a pearl of great price or a dragnet that gathers from the sea of every kind and separates the good from the bad, as at the end of the age when the angels will separate the wicked from among the just.

    The fifth reading from the Gospel in the Procession in front of the Icon of St. Mark the Evangelist, one of the seventy who preached our country Alexandria, Egypt (the See of St. Mark), from (Luke 10: 1-12):

+    The authority of the Lord Christ as God to send disciples (seventy other disciples besides the twelve), and to give them power to give peace to those whom they preach and to heal the sick; and a warning to those who do not receive them that their end would be worse than that of Sodom …

    The sixth reading from the Gospel in the Procession in front of the Apostles’ Icon, from (Mattew 10: 1-8):

+   Again His power as God is witnessed in His authority to give power to His disciples over unclean spirits to cast them out, and to heal all kinds of sickness and all kinds of disease! Who can have such authority to give such power!

    The seventh reading from the Gospel in the Procession in front of the Icon of St. George or any other martyr, from (Luke 21: 12-19):

+    His foreknowledge … He tells the disciples what was going to happen to them, and promises to give them a mouth and wisdom, and assures them that, in spite of all this, not a hair of their head will be lost! That is why this part of the Gospel is read before the icon of a martyr, to affirm that martyrdom does not mean perdition.

    The eighth reading from the Gospel in the Procession in front of the Icon of one of the saints (the patron saint of the church), from (Matthew 16: 24-28):

+     A very explicit declaration from His own mouth of His Divinity. He says: “For the Son of Man will come in the glory of His Father with His angels, and then He will reward each according to his works.” … Here also He points to the fact that the saints who please the Lord with their works and their life will have their reward on that Day of Judgment. That is why this part of the Gospel is read before the icon of a saint … Also He speaks about His Coming as the Son of Man (His Humanity) in the glory of His Father and with His angels (His Divinity) … Thus His Second Coming will not be in humbleness as in His First Coming, but in glory and for judgment by the power of His Divinity …

    The ninth reading from the Gospel in the Procession in front of the door to the north, from (Luke 13: 23-30):

+    Affirmation that His Second Coming will be for judgment and that by His foreknowledge He knows those who will be saved and those who will be rejected … He points out that there will come from the east and the west, from the north and the south and sit down in the Kingdom of God, while the rejected will be thrust out in fear … Therefore in the response of this Gospel we say: “When you come in Your Second Awful Coming, let us not hear with trembling ‘I do not know you’” … So, this is the nature of the His Second Coming. Perhaps it is an answer to those who believe that He will come and live on the earth for a thousand years …  

    The tenth reading from the Gospel in the Procession in front of the Basin at which the Liturgy of Blessing the water is prayed (Lakkan), from (Matthew 3: 13-17):

+    The Baptism of the Lord Jesus Christ by John the Baptist, and the confession of St. John that it is he who needs to be baptized by Him … the Lord’s answer to him, “Permit it to be so now, for thus it is fitting for us to fulfill all righteousness.” … Also the manifestation of the Holy Trinity: the Son baptized in the water; the Spirit descending upon Him like a dove; and the voice of the Father heaven, saying: “This is My beloved Son, in whom I am well pleased.” …

    The eleventh reading from the Gospel in the Procession in front of the door to the south, from (Matthew 21: 1-11):

+    The foreknowledge of the Lord of the ass and the colt in a certain place and the reaction of their owner … So He sends His two of His disciples to bring them … All this in fulfillment of the prophecy about Him: “Tell the daughter of Zion: Behold, your King is coming to you, lowly and sitting on a donkey, a colt, the foal of a donkey.” (Matthew 21: 5; Zechariah 9: 9) … Then His being received as King with the hymn “Hosanna …”, and all the city was moved ..

    The twelfth reading from the Gospel in the Procession in front of the Icon of St. John the Baptist, from (Luke 7: 28-35):

+    The testimony of the Lord Jesus Christ for John the Baptist that among those born of women there is not a greater prophet than John the Baptist …

    So, as the Church teaches us, the Procession of the Hosanna (Palm) Sunday starts from the Main Sanctuary and the Icon of the Virgin on the right of the Sanctuary, and ends at the Icon of St. John the Baptist on the left of the Sanctuary. Each reading is a testimony by the Holy Inspiration of the Divinity and Humanity of the Lord Jesus Christ.

Glory be to Him with the Father and the Holy Spirit. Amen.

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