Ride the Donkey: The Metaphysical Significance of Palm Sunday • Lecture by Rev. Bettye Mason

Sunday, March 29, 2026

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https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=gY-TZlk2x-c

Lecture transcript:

Ride the Donkey: The Metaphysical Significance of Palm Sunday

A Lecture by Rev. Bettye Mason • Sunday, March 29th, 2026

The disciples went and did as Jesus had instructed them. They brought the donkey and the colt and placed the cloaks on them for Jesus to sit on. A very large crowd spread their cloaks on the road, while others cut palm branches from the trees and spread them on the road. The crowds that went ahead of him and those that followed shouted, "Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest heaven!" When Jesus entered Jerusalem, the whole city stirred and asked, "Who is this?" The crowd answered, "This is Jesus, the prophet from Nazareth and Galilee." — Matthew 21:6–11 (NIV)

Well, good morning, everybody. Good morning, everyone here, and our Zoom family, and to our guest presider. I'm happy to be with you all this morning, especially on this particular day.

Today is Palm Sunday. You probably already guessed that by the palm leaves you received. Today is a major Christian holiday celebrated on the Sunday before Easter, and it marks the triumphant entry of Jesus — riding a donkey into Jerusalem, where he was greeted by crowds waving palm branches.

Palm Sunday commemorates the final week of Jesus's life and marks the start of the sacred holy week in Christianity, with the week leading up to Good Friday, the day that Jesus was crucified, and Easter Sunday, the day he arose — or was resurrected.

My topic today is the metaphysical significance of Palm Sunday.

I want to bless you, and I want to give you a brief metaphysical take on the symbolism of Palm Sunday. I'm going to talk about the symbolism of the donkey, the palm branches, the city of Jerusalem, and finally Jesus's triumphant entry into the city.

So, let's take a peek, way, way back into the past by imagining yourself standing on a crowded street on that day that Jesus rode into Jerusalem.

And it was pretty much… it felt pretty much like the world does today.

It was tense and loud and full of people looking for a leader to fix everything. Pretty much like some people are doing in today's world.

Over 2,000 years ago, when Jesus rode into Jerusalem on the donkey, the environment that he rode into was like that. When the people saw him ride in, they went wild.

They were waving palm branches, which in that time were like their victory flags. And they were shouting, Hosanna, Hosanna — which interpreted means, save me now. Save us. Please, please save us. 

Because what they were shouting for was for Jesus to save them from Roman oppression. They saw him as a king who would make their lives better. And yes, there are some similarities like that in today's world, isn't there?

The Donkey

Now, let's talk about the donkey first.

Jesus rode into Jerusalem on the humble little donkey. When, to show his status, he could have ridden in on a war horse — an illustrious and powerful war horse. In Jesus's time, the war horse was a symbol of Roman military power, of strength, and domination, typically ridden by the conquering kings and the cavalry. The contrast between the war horse and the donkey that Jesus rode highlights his role and his character as a humble peacemaker leader rather than a military conqueror.

In a metaphysical and spiritual sense, the donkey that Jesus rode into Jerusalem on is a symbol representing a shift from earthly power to divine peace and humility. The humble donkey represents the gentle power of Christ — and for us, it would symbolize meekness and a willingness to surrender to a higher self that rises above the ego.

In today's world, we are taught that we need to be a war horse. That we might need to be louder and tougher and more aggressive than everyone else. Or we might think that we need someone who is a war horse to take care of us — someone who we think is aggressive or tough, and someone who has been through the wars in their field, such as a politician or athlete or a soldier. And we might think that they can be relied upon to deliver results even in the most difficult circumstances, because they have faced and overcome similar personal challenges in their field of work.

But while the world is screaming for the use of more force and aggression, the symbolism of Palm Sunday and the donkey asks us —

Are you brave enough? Are you brave enough to walk into your challenges with humility instead of with a weapon or aggressiveness?

Humility is considered a sign of true strength and a superior strategy for solving difficult problems.

And though it might seem like it, humility is not passive. It is really quite active.

Because the real victory comes from mastering ourselves, not dominating or controlling others.

The mastering of self — it's the practice of developing self-discipline, emotional control, and awareness over our thoughts, habits, and impulses rather than being ruled by them.

So in this scenario, the donkey is asking us to show our strength through being humble and practicing humility rather than aggression. That gentle little donkey...

The Palm Branches

Well, what about the metaphysical symbolism of the palm branches?

There's a lot of information about the history of the palm branch, but I'm going to give you just a little glance at the important roles they have played. Across various Near Eastern and Mediterranean cultures, the history of the palm branch is rooted in an ancient status as a powerful symbol of victory, peace, and eternal life. You're holding that symbol in your hand.

Long, long before its association with Christianity, palm branches were used to honor royalty, celebrate military triumphs, and represent spiritual endurance.

Metaphysically, the palm branch symbolizes the triumph of the spirit over matter, and expresses the soul's ascension and victory over the limitation of the physical world. So it's not just a prize for winning a struggle. It's a symbol of the awakened spirit — proving that the soul is indestructible and capable of producing virtuous fruits in any environment that you find yourself in.

The Crowds

But notice this. The crowds were shouting Hosanna for Jesus to save them. And what it was based on is that they wanted Jesus to do something for them — to overthrow the Roman government and solve their political problems. So symbolically, the crowds represent our own chaotic and material thoughts.

Even when the Sunday hosannas fade into Friday fears, Palm Sunday challenges us to stay committed. It calls us to keep the faith even after the crowds have gone home.

Jerusalem

Because the city of Jerusalem isn't just a spot or location on the map. In our spiritual lives, the city of Jerusalem represents our inner city — our inner state of peace and consciousness. It could be defined as a stable and tranquil mental state that remains balanced and serene regardless of any external mayhem.

Our inner city is a conscious, unbiased awareness of the present moment, and a deep sense of contentment, self-acceptance, and connection to one's true self. And all of this is our natural state.

So you see, Palm Sunday isn't just about Jesus on the donkey entering the city of Jerusalem. It's about the moment we decide to let new kinds of energy enter into our Jerusalem — into our inner city of peace, and our state of consciousness.

We live daily in a world of chaos, agitation, and uncertainty. And we are constantly distracted by what we think we need to be happy. So the symbolism of Palm Sunday invites us to be authentic to our core values instead of following the crowds.

It asks us to embrace the duality that life has both Good Friday struggles and Easter Sunday celebrations — because both of these are part of the journey to a larger awakening. It's a journey to a higher state of consciousness, to personal growth, and a shift in our perceptions.

And Palm Sunday also asks us to invite in the divine. To open the gates of our hearts to a love that doesn't just fix our problems, but one that also transforms us.

So in closing, I'd like to leave this with you.

As you go forward, look at the palm branch as a reminder of your inner authority — and as a reminder that you don't need a politician or celebrity to save you.

Going forward from today, let's choose to ride the donkey of peace. Let go of our old, worn-out beliefs and make our triumphant entry into our inner city — into a new way of living where we lead with love, we serve with humility, and we trust.

We trust that even if we have Friday struggles… our Easter Sunday — our rising above it all — is always, always assured.

Many blessings, and happy Palm Sunday.