What’s Palm Sunday? Nigerian cleric x-rays its meaning, significance

Rev. Father Gregory Omeje has described the Palm Sunday celebration as a paradox of pain and joy, stating that there is no crown without thorns. He made this known at Our Lady of Fatima Parish, Nsukka, on 13 April 2025 while delivering his homily.

According to him, the celebration of today, which began with Jesus’s triumphant entry into Jerusalem, was immediately disrupted by the narration of Jesus’s suffering. “The same persons who were singing and praising Jesus while he was on the donkey riding into Jerusalem, spreading clothes on the floor, all of a sudden turned and asked that he be crucified.”

Read Also:

Palm Sunday: From significance to global celebrations, here’s all you

Paradox of Palm Sunday: Linking Life’s Joys, Pain, and Challenges
Rev. Omeje said today’s paradox is linked to life experiences. It is embedded in what we see and what we would continue to see because there is no crown without thorns.

He said the paradox of today is linked to what people pass through in life. “What Jesus Christ passed through today is the same in the lives of Christians.” Giving instances, he said, “When a person is born, there would be joy, but once death happens, people will start crying.”

“During baptism, such a person would be happy, but as time goes on, the person would begin to deviate, especially during temptation.”

He also linked the paradox to weddings. Couples usually profess their love for one another: “I love you, my sweetheart, the only sugar in my tea”, but after some time, you would begin to hear, “If I had known that you are like this, I would not have married you.”

He pointed out that in today’s celebration, first, the psalmist said, “My God, my God, why have you abandoned me?” (Psalm 22:1, GNT). Jesus was also ridiculed by one of the criminals who told him, “Aren’t you the Messiah? Save yourself and us!” (Luke 23:39, GNT). But Jesus Christ knew that there would be no glory without the cross.

Rev. Omeje cited Philippians 2:6–11, specifically verse 10: “That at the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of things in heaven, and things in earth, and things under the earth.”

He charged Christians not to run away from God when temptation comes because people would try to dissuade them, as they also did to Jesus Christ.

According to the catholic priest, during temptation, people are often advised with such words as “adịghị anọ na otu ebe ekiri mmụọ ọhụụ” (one doesn’t stay in a place to view a masquerade), translating to: since God did not answer your prayers, you should look up to other gods. “Onye chi na-azọ, na-azọ onwe ya” – meaning “as God is saving you, you should also save yourself”. Another is “Give Caesar what belongs to him and God what belongs to him”, meaning you should divide your worship between God and other gods.

Omeje reminded Christians that these statements are not being placed in the right context.

About today’s narrative, he said that in life, we would continue to encounter such things as betrayal, as Jesus Christ did today during the passion narrative from the book of Luke chapter 22, which began with the Last Supper and ended with Jesus being put in the tomb.

He said, “First Judas, who sold Jesus, betrayed him. Peter also denied Jesus. All are signs of betrayal, which Christians also pass through. For instance, a young lady might visit her fiancé with her friend, only to find out that her fiancé would later marry her friend.

“You might also be receiving insults from society. It might also be injustice from the leaders, as seen between Herod and Pilate, who became friends again because of Jesus Christ.”

“Though Pilate saw that Jesus was innocent, he sentenced him to death because the people said so…. these are similar things people go through in life.”

The priest charged Christians not to be discouraged but in all situations, “We should look beyond the suffering to the end because Jesus Christ held hopes that after sorrow, there would be joy. We all should follow Jesus’ footsteps and be good Christians because God will always be with us.”

Meaning of Palm Sunday Celebartion

It is a Christian celebration that marks the beginning of Holy Week. It is celebrated on the Sunday before Easter. Different denominations celebrate this in different ways, but for Catholics, it usually begins with a procession into the church marking Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem. The Palm Sunday precedes all other Easter activities like Holy Thursday (washing of the feet), Good Friday, Holy Saturday (Easter Vigil Mass), and then Easter Sunday.

Having celebrated Palm Sunday, Christians all over the world are waiting eagerly for the celebration of Easter Sunday on 20 April 2025.