In the episode of The Chosen (season 5, episode 1) that recreates Palm Sunday, Jesus enters Jerusalem surrounded by enthusiasm, palm branches, and cries of hope. The crowd expects a powerful Messiah, accompanied by an army, capable of conquering by force and restoring political power. Yet Jesus chooses a disconcerting path: he enters riding a donkey, in humility, without weapons, without imposing himself, offering a peace born not from domination but from self-giving.
Today, Jerusalem once again becomes a place marked by pain, distrust, and fear. The streets where “Hosanna!” once echoed remain scenes of deep human tensions, where every people carries historical wounds and each generation inherits unresolved conflicts. The paradox remains the same: everyone desires peace, yet it is often pursued through paths that produce more violence.
This contrast invites us to contemplate, not merely observe. To “see how God works and acts” even amid chaos. Jesus still enters Jerusalem today whenever someone renounces hatred, whenever a person chooses understanding over victory, whenever human dignity is placed above ideology. Where fear builds walls, God continues seeking hearts capable of welcoming peace and allowing it to grow like a seed. Peace arrives when we learn to look at one another as brothers and sisters.
Palm Sunday reminds us of something both challenging and hopeful: the Kingdom of God does not begin when conflict disappears, but when someone decides to love within it.
Prayer
Lord Jesus,
You who entered Jerusalem humble and unarmed,
breaking the expectations of those who awaited power and victory by force,
look today upon that same city wounded by pain, fear, and division.
For those who suffer violence and uncertainty;
those who mourn losses, those trapped in hatred,
and those who, amid conflict, continue seeking paths of peace.
Grant them the courage to renounce violence, the grace to choose love,
and the strength to place human dignity above ideologies or fears.
Let gestures of reconciliation and hope arise among them where it seems impossible.
And from Jerusalem, Lord, turn your gaze also toward us.
Teach us to recognize your silent presence within our own tensions and conflicts.
Make us capable of renouncing quick judgment and resentment, of building peace in daily life,
of loving even when disagreement remains.
May we learn that your Kingdom begins when someone chooses to love within conflict;
may we learn to tear down the walls we raise almost without noticing
and always choose encounter, listening, and fraternity.
Inspired by Mary, woman of faith and hope,
make us and our communities and families humble signs of your peace,
educators of reconciliation and servants of hope,
so that wherever we are, the seed of your Kingdom may grow.
Amen.
Almudena de la Torre
Communications Team
Cover image: Jerusalem today. Image by “World History Encyclopedia”
Introductory image: Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem. Property of “The Chosen”
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