Слово в неделю Ваий. Св. Амвросия, епископа Медиоланского

In the Gospel read today, it was said that when our Lord Jesus Christ entered Jerusalem, six days before His suffering, many of those who came to this city to celebrate, according to the commandment of Moses, the feast of Passover, met him with date branches in their hands, as proof of His victory over the people of Israel, because palm branches were usually presented to the victors; and others cut branches from trees (because this happened on the Mount of Olives), and, where necessary, leveled the path of the Lord with them. Hence the custom arose on this holiday, during the glorification, to hold date or olive branches in one’s hands; and the holiday itself is called the week of Vai. But what we now hold in our hands, these branches, have their own meaning. It is through the olive tree, from which comes oil that softens wounds and heals illnesses, that works of mercy are indicated; and through the strong date tree, the limbs of whose branches are white, it means that, after the sorrows of this life, we will move into the light of the heavenly fatherland; on the basis of which David the Psalmist says about the righteous that he will flourish like a date (Psalm 91:13). Therefore, holding olive branches in our hands, let us show mercy in deeds: let us also take date branches, hoping not for earthly joys for works of mercy, but for the joys of the heavenly fatherland, in which the Lord Christ is our Forerunner, because, according to the Apostle, He is the end of the law to everyone who believes (Rom. 10:4). It is also impossible to ignore the words taken from the psalm: Hosanna to the son of David, blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord: Hosanna in the highest, which the people who met the Lord sang. Since the coming of the Lord and His incarnation is saving not only on earth for people, but also in heaven for Angels, because through the salvation of people the number of Angels is replenished, which was diminished by the fall of the devil: then, uttering the words: Hosanna in the highest, they said: “Save us too, O You who constitute salvation in heaven!” And since this desire was strong in them, they repeated these words. May our blessed Lord Jesus Christ, who came in the name of the Father, with whom He lives and reigns forever and ever, give you this salvation. Amen 156. See Biblioth. Patr. Concionator. 1662 ann. tom. III, p. 385; Wed “Sunday Reading” IX (1845–1846), country. 467–468. You might be interested in: