When Jesus entered Jerusalem shortly before His death, the great crowd "got palm branches and came out to meet Him. They kept shouting: 'Hosanna! Blessed is He Who comes in the name of the Lord!' " (Jn 12:13) Every time we go to Mass, the Church calls us to continue these praises when we pray: "Holy, holy, holy Lord, God of power and might, heaven and earth are full of Your glory. Hosanna in the highest. Blessed is He Who comes in the name of the Lord. Hosanna in the highest."

The Church hopes that our "Holy, holy, holy" and "Hosanna" will never change and will last forever (see Rv 4:8). When these praises were first sung, Jesus' admirers changed their tune from "Hosanna!" to "Crucify Him!" (Mk 15:13-14) When Jesus told Peter and the other apostles that they would turn on Him, change their tune, and deny Him repeatedly, they reasserted vehemently that they would die for Him rather than deny Him (Mk 14:31). However, an hour or two later, they "all deserted Him and fled" (Mk 14:50).

What will you do this Holy Week? By sin, will you continue to crucify Him (see Heb 6:6) or, by repentance, will you continue to praise Him and even help carry the cross? (see Mk 15:21) Will our Holy Week and our lives be "Holy, holy, holy" or "Crucify, crucify, crucify"? Or will it be both?

Nihil Obstat:  Reverend Ralph J. Lawrence, August 1, 1996

Imprimatur:  †Most Reverend Carl K. Moeddel, Vicar General and Auxiliary Bishop of the Archdiocese of Cincinnati, August 6, 1996