Kirk Reflections 29th March 2026.

Revd. Erick du Toit brings this week's reflection from Kirkliston Parish Church, Scotland.

PALM SUNDAY

“Hosanna to the Son of David!”
“Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!”
“Hosanna in the highest heaven!”
(Matthew 21:9)

Palm Sunday marks the start of Holy Week in the Christian Calendar. We associate it with the laying down of palm branches (even though the Gospel of John is the only Gospel mentioning that wee detail) and clothing to welcome the Messianic King.

The crowds are in uproar. The Greek word used to describe the ‘stir’ is Eseisthe…it’s the root from which we get our word “seismology”—the study of earthquakes. Matthew is saying that Jerusalem is “all shook up.”

Matthew uses this word, eseisthe, on two other occasions in this Gospel—when the earth shook at Jesus’ death (27:51) and when a great earthquake preceded Jesus’ resurrection (28:2).

This earthquake moment lead them to ask this incredible life -changing question: ‘Who is this?’

• Who is Jesus to you?
• What does it mean when you say that ‘he’s your king and that he reigns for evermore…?’