Today, March 29, 2026, we enter Holy Week. The liturgy of Palm Sunday is a unique study in contrasts: we begin with the jubilant “Hosanna” and end with the somber “Crucify Him.” This movement reveals the heart of Christ’s mission, a Kingship defined not by earthly power, but by a radical, obedient love.

The Liturgy of the Word: A Portrait of the Servant King

The readings for today (Year A) trace the path of the “Suffering Servant” who is also the “Lord of Glory.”

• First Reading (Isaiah 50:4-7): We encounter the third “Servant Song.” The prophet describes one who has a “disciple’s tongue” and an “open ear.” Despite being struck and spat upon, the servant remains steadfast, setting his “face like flint,” knowing that God is his help.

• Responsorial Psalm (Psalm 22): “My God, my God, why have you abandoned me?” This psalm, famously quoted by Jesus on the Cross, moves from a cry of dereliction to a promise of ultimate praise, foretelling the division of garments and the piercing of hands and feet.

• Second Reading (Philippians 2:6-11): This ancient hymn summarizes the entire mystery of the Incarnation. Christ, though God, “emptied himself,” taking the form of a slave. His humility and obedient faith lead to his death, which in turn leads to his exaltation as the Name above all names.

• Gospel (Matthew 26:14–27:66): The Passion narrative shows the “True King” in the hands of men. From the betrayal of Judas to the silence before Pilate, Jesus demonstrates a Kingship that refuses to use the weapons of this world, choosing instead the “weapon” of the Father’s Will.

Insights from St. Faustina’s Diary: The Heart Saturated with Ingratitude

Saint Faustina provides a mystical “behind-the-scenes” look at Palm Sunday. In her Diary, she notes that while the crowds were rejoicing, Jesus was deeply sorrowful.

“I saw Jesus riding on a donkey’s foal… but Jesus was very grave, and the Lord gave me to know how much He was suffering at the time… His Heart was saturated with ingratitude.” (Diary, 642)

For Faustina, the lesson of Palm Sunday is that humility is the key to drawing near to God. Jesus told her, “Your humility draws Me down from My lofty throne” (Diary, 1109). He taught her that true greatness isn’t found in the “Hosannas” of the world, but in resembling Him, the “humiliated and tortured” King. St. Faustina emphasizes that while the devil can imitate many virtues, he can never imitate obedience. Our “Fiat” to God’s plan, even when it leads to a cross, is what truly acknowledges Jesus as King.

The Book of Heaven: The Kingship of the Divine Will

In the writings of Servant of God, Luisa Piccarreta, the Kingship of Jesus is viewed through the lens of the Divine Will. According to the Book of Heaven, Jesus did not come just to be a King over us, but to reign within us.

Jesus tells Luisa that His true Kingdom is not external or territorial; it is the “regime of the soul” through the dominion over one’s own passions (Volume 13). On Palm Sunday, when He was proclaimed King, He was looking forward to the day when His Will would reign on earth as it does in Heaven.

Key themes from Luisa on Kingship:

• The Crown of Thorns: Jesus reveals to Luisa that the thorns were His “royal crown,” signifying that He is the King of our thoughts and minds.

• The Internal Kingdom: “What one possesses on the outside is not a true kingdom… but that which he has inside, no one will be able to take away from him” (Volume 21).

• The Exchange of Wills: Jesus acts as a King who wants to take all our miseries and “evils” and exchange them for His Peace and Riches.

By looking at both Faustina and Luisa, we see that Palm Sunday isn’t just a historical parade. It is a call to recognize that Jesus is most “King” when He is most humble. To honor His Kingship today means offering Him our own “Fiat”, letting His Will reign in our hearts so that we, too, can set our faces like flint toward the Resurrection.

Meditation: The King Who Enters the Heart

As we enter into Holy Week, we place ourselves alongside Jesus as He enters Jerusalem. The crowds are shouting and the palms are waving, but His gaze is fixed. He is not looking for earthly glory; He is looking for a home for His Kingdom within the human soul.

• Reflect on Humility: St. Faustina tells us that Jesus was grave amidst the shouting. He saw the “ingratitude” of those who would soon turn away. We must ask ourselves: Do we welcome Him today only to forget Him tomorrow? Real kingship isn’t found in the noise of the world, but in the silence of an obedient heart. Like the donkey that carried Him, we are called to be humble bearers of His presence, useful not because of our own strength, but because of Whom we carry.

• Reflect on the Divine Will: In the Book of Heaven, Jesus reveals to Servant of God Luisa Piccarreta that His true throne is the soul that says “Fiat.” Every step He took toward the Cross was a step toward reclaiming the Kingdom of His Will within us. He does not just want to walk beside us this week; He wants to live His Passion, Death, and Resurrection in us. To recognize His Kingship is to allow His Will to replace our own.

A Prayer of Thanksgiving and Offering

In the Light of the Divine Will

In the Name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Most Holy King, my Jesus, I stand before You on this Palm Sunday with a heart full of gratitude. Thank You for Your radical humility—for choosing a humble donkey over a warhorse and a crown of thorns over one of gold.

I thank You for the gift of Your Divine Will. I enter into Your “Fiat” and offer You my own. Lord, I am sorry for the times I have sought the “Hosannas” of the world while neglecting the quiet reign of Your grace in my soul.

With St. Faustina, I pray: O Jesus, stretched upon the Cross, I implore You, grant me the grace to follow Your Will always and everywhere. When Your Will seems hard and difficult to fulfill, let Your wounds be my strength.

In the Divine Will, I pray: My Jesus, I take Your own steps and I make them my own to find all souls. I take Your heartbeats to love everyone. I take Your “Fiat” to repair for all human wills. I lay my “I love You” upon every palm branch and every paving stone of Jerusalem, asking that Your Kingdom come and Your Will be done on earth as it is in Heaven.

I offer You all my works, my joys, and my crosses, leaving all outcomes in Your hands, trusting that Your Kingship is perfect and Your love is infinite.

Sending You all my Love and abundant Blessings in the Divine and Eternal Fiat.

Amen.