Liturgical Colour : Red

Mark 11 : 1-10

At that time, when Jesus and His disciples drew near to Jerusalem and arrived at Bethpage and Bethany, at the Mount of Olives, Jesus sent two of His disciples with these instructions, “Go to the village on the other side and, as you enter it, you will find there a colt tied up that no one has ridden. Untie it and bring it here. If anyone says to you, ‘What are you doing?’ give this answer, ‘The Lord needs it, but He will send it back immediately.'”

They went off and found the colt, out in the street, tied at the door. As they were untying it, some of the bystanders asked, “Why are you untying that colt?” They answered as Jesus had told them, and the people allowed them to continue. They brought the colt to Jesus, threw their cloaks on its back, and Jesus sat upon it.

Many people also spread their cloaks on the road, while others spread leafy branches from the fields. Then the people who walked ahead, and those who followed behind Jesus, began to shout, “Hosannah! Blessed is He who comes in the Name of the Lord! Blessed is the kingdom of our father David which comes! Hosannah in the highest!”

Alternative reading

John 12 : 12-16

At that time, many people who had come for the festival heard that Jesus was to enter Jerusalem. So they took branches of palm trees and went out to meet Him. And they cried out, “Hosanna! Blessed is He who comes in the Name of the Lord! Blessed is the King of Israel!”

Jesus found a donkey and sat upon it, as Scripture says : ‘Do not fear, city of Zion! See, your King is coming, sitting on the colt of a donkey!’ The disciples were not aware of this at first, but after Jesus was glorified, they realised that this had been written about Him, and that this was what had happened to Him.