"Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest!" - Matthew 21:6Palm Sunday is always bittersweet. We echo the joy of the crowds in Jerusalem, who welcomed Christ as the Messiah, yet we know - like Christ knew - that it would end with another procession, a long arduous procession toward agonizing death. Of course, as Christians, we know that his death is what gives us hope for life. The obedient self-sacrifice of Calvary is the eternal gate for the salvation of mankind. Through the great salvific act of Jesus Christ, the cross - an instrument of torture - became a sign of triumphant joy.
That of course, will all be reflected upon in due time. Worth noting at present is the entry of Christ and the prophecies and allusions his passage into Jerusalem recalls. In the verse at the top of this post, we read that the crowd is shouting to Jesus as the "Son of David." We recall from the prophecies read during Advent that the Messiah was to be born of the House of David in Bethlehem, the city of David. We must recall the the Old Testament was not abolished or ignored by Christ, it was fulfilled by Christ. So, we can conclude (and indeed, Catholic thought agrees) that King David was a type of Christ and that Christ would in turn be a perfection of King David.
David, of course, was King of Israel when it was at the height of its power. From his lowly origins as a shepherd, he was chosen by God to lead the nation, and was eventually victorious over the forces of Goliath and the Philistines. He brought the Ark of the Covenant to Jerusalem (and his son Solomon built the temple for it). His authority was far reaching and he entered into a covenant with God who promised that he would "Establish your throne forever." David was also the author of many, if not all, of the Psalms; the words of which point to the future Messiah to save the world.
Christ fulfills the role of David in many ways. Jesus, known as the good shepherd, came to defeat the forces of sin through a battle (the pain of his Passion), and establish the eternal kingdom of God. David bringing the Ark to Jerusalem is fulfilled by Jesus, the law of the new covenant, entering Jerusalem in victory. And, we should not forget the universal kingship of Christ whose laws are just.
As the redemption of Christ is a universal gift for all, we must avail ourselves of it. The first step is Baptism, which incorporates us into Christ's Body with great joy - akin to the rejoicing of the crowds in Jerusalem. But, though we are members of the Church by virtue of the waters of baptism, we must continue to grow and learn to carry our crosses, even through the hardest times, for we know that at the end there is life. Carrying our crosses and living united to Christ is guided by the law of God fulfilled by Jesus, the King of All, Good Shepherd, and Son of the Living God.