# Palm Sunday 2020 – Following the Way of Jesus
*2020-04-04*

> Bill Young reflects on Palm Sunday in a virtual world, shares a reading from Father Henry Newman, and leads a Chaplet and Novena of Divine Mercy.

## Virtual Palm Sunday and Resources

I encourage you to join a virtual Mass at your parish—St. David’s, for example, offers a 5 p.m. and a 10 a.m. livestream. The link is in the podcast notes. I also recommend the free virtual Catholic Conference this weekend, which features talks by a bishop from Tennessee, a religious sister, a priest, and many others. The conference runs about 20 hours and is available without charge; a premium pass ($49) lets you download the sessions.

## Following the Way of Jesus – A Reflection

We read from *The Journey of the Heart* by Father Henry J. M. Newman. The passage centers on Luke 23:46: “Father, into your hands I commend my spirit.” Newman writes that returning to God means offering Him all that we are—nothing half‑hearted. True freedom, he says, is found in total surrender to God’s love, even to the point of the cross, where Jesus abandoned every worldly hold and discovered complete unity with the Father.

## Palm Blessing and the Chaplet of Divine Mercy

If you have palms at home, bless them and hang one on your front door as a reminder of Christ’s triumph. I then led the Chaplet of Divine Mercy using my rosary beads, which were blessed by a priest. The chaplet includes the opening prayer, the Our Father, Hail Mary, Apostles’ Creed, and the repeated invocation: “For the sake of His sorrowful passion, have mercy on us and on the whole world.”

After the chaplet I prayed the Litany of Divine Mercy, echoing Saint Faustina’s revelations: “Divine Mercy, source of all life; Divine Mercy, who descends to earth in the Incarnate Word; Divine Mercy, who embraces us at the hour of death,” and so on.

## Novena Prayer for the Lukewarm Souls

Continuing the Novena of Divine Mercy, I prayed for souls who have become lukewarm. I asked the Lord to pour out His mercy on them, to awaken their hearts, and to draw them into the fire of Christ’s love. I invoked the Blessed Virgin Mary, St. Joseph, the saints, and St. Michael for protection against the devil’s snares.

## Closing Thoughts and Practical Reminders

Remember to hang your blessed palms, join the virtual Mass, and attend the Catholic Conference before the free access ends at midnight. The diocese of Philadelphia will pray the Rosary at 8 p.m. for those lost to the pandemic; please join in prayer. You can reach me at w.r.young12@yahoo.com or by phone (954‑559‑0104).

*Even in a virtual world, we can follow Jesus fully by surrendering our whole selves to His love.*