Palm Sunday - A Reflection

Today, Sunday, March 29, 2026, marks the beginning of Holy Week—the most significant and solemn period in the Christian calendar. It is a time of deep reflection that starts with a scene of both grand celebration and profound simplicity.

The Entry into Jerusalem is a significant event:

As Jesus rode into Jerusalem, the atmosphere was electric. His arrival was intimately connected to the people standing by the roadside. There was much hope in them for peace to prevail. By choosing to ride a donkey, Jesus sent a message of love, trust, humility, and hope to his followers.

There was feverish hope in everyone there. For people living under the Romans, the sight of Jesus was a desperate plea against the persecutions of the time and the troubles they faced. They felt:

• There was a sense of hope that the"Prince of Peace" had finally arrived to alleviate their burdens.

• They were witnessing a deeply moving scene, and seeing a man of such repute choosing the lowliest animal to represent his humility was a shocking revelation.

• Perhaps a "triumph" that didn't require a sword or killing was expected by them.

So they laid palms on the road as a gesture of the highest honour. Jesus was a humble man who rejected egotistical traits and, in every way, chose the path to humbleness to deliver his messages. He didn't look down on the downtrodden, the poor, or the weary. He believed in treating everyone equally.

His humility wasn't a sign of weakness but a profound statement that true strength lies in peaceful negotiations. He believed that all men were equal in the eyes of a God he died for.

Palm Sunday is the start of his journey to the crucifixion. 

Have a blessed Lenten week.

-shobana-

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The dust of the road settles, The green fronds begin to dry, But the spirit of the journey doesn't need a shouting cry.

It moves in the humble step, In the peace that we bestow, On the winding, dusty pathways Everywhere we choose to go.

         Humility remains a steady compass for our own journeys.

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On SHOBANA - poetry blog: The Fig Tree on the Barren Land: https://shobanagomes.blogspot.com/2026/03/the-fig-tree-on-barren-land.html. Get your copy of Free FACTION Blueprint on the link at the website. 

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On Poetas Del Mundo, https://www.poetasdelmundo.com/news/french/la-voix-de-la-posie-dans-le-monde-arabe. in line with Poetry Month. Visit their website to read more on what is happening with poets of the world.

I am sharing the French version of their poet's voices:

07 Mar 2026

LA VOIX DE LA POÉSIE DANS LE MONDE ARABE : ENGAGEMENT ET ESPÉRANCE

La région du monde arabe est représentée au sein du mouvement international Poètes du Monde par le binôme composé de Arwa BEN DHIA, vice-présidente de nationalité tunisienne, et Fatima CHBIBANE BENNAÇAR, sous-secrétaire de nationalité marocaine.

Toutes deux sont déterminées à faire rayonner la poésie à travers ce mouvement international, convaincues que la poésie constitue l’une des plus belles expressions de la beauté humaine, mais aussi un acte de résistance et de solidarité entre les peuples.

Cependant, la poésie peut-elle encore changer quelque chose dans un monde déboussolé où la violence semble omniprésente ? Déjà, dans l’Antiquité, Platon excluait les poètes de sa cité idéale, estimant qu’il n’y avait pas de place pour la poésie dans un monde parfait.

ais dans un monde aujourd’hui déchiré par les conflits et les incertitudes, les poètes peuvent incarner une autre voix : celle de la sagesse. Une voix capable, même dans l’obscurité, de guider les pas de l’humanité vers la lumière.

À ce propos, rappelons ces mots de Andrée Chedid :
« Devant la faillite des croyances et la pénurie de l’espoir, il est urgent que soit la poésie. Elle ne console de rien. Elle ne possède rien, sa loi n’est pas de marbre. Mais prenant et délivrant la parole, elle multiplie nos vies. »

Et ceux de Cioran :
« Les poètes sont inutiles, mais indispensables. »

For Aishah, My Best Friend.

Hari Raya Aidilfitri was celebrated with much pomp when I was growing up at the RMAF quarters in Butterworth during the 70s. My best friend was a Malay girl. We were the same age, and she lived opposite, where I stayed. Aishah was a very pretty girl, slim and tall, with long hair and a beautiful, infectious smile. In fact, she looked Middle Eastern, with her fair colouring and her eyes, a lighter shade of brown. She was a talkative girl, and we would spend hours in the park, giggling at the stories she told, while sitting on the swing, and, basically, enjoying each other's company. She was great company.

Aishah was always the first to invite me to her house on the 1st day of Hari Raya. The whole neighbourhood would come alive with Malay Raya songs blaring loudly, and the aroma of delicious ketupat and rendang wafting through the homes of the Muslim community was heavenly.

She'd sit with me whenever I visited her home, making sure I ate all the cookies she baked and the delicious food her mother cooked. She was a good cook too, and helped her mother with the cooking and household chores.

Before Raya, I would see her changing the curtains, sweeping out the dust, and cleaning the house till it was spotless. 

She looked elegant in her Raya baju kurung, and I'd compliment her on how she looked. She'd smile and wave away my compliment. We'd hold hands and wish each other joy and happiness. She was a wonderful girl.

Unfortunately, we lost contact since I moved back to Kuala Lumpur. However, I'd like to wish her a Selamat Hari Raya Aidil Fitri. I really wish we could meet one day. I am not sure where she lives now.

Those were happy days. Every Hari Raya, I think about her and the times we spent together.

Selamat Hari Raya to all Malaysians and Muslims throughout the world. A special wish to the Malaysian Police and their International counterparts for keeping my family and me safe throughout the years. And of course, to all the dignitaries and luminaries of this beautiful nation, I wish you great joy, happiness, prosperity and most of all peace on this great occasion.

-shobana-

Read my poem, The Beautiful Woman, on SHOBANA, https://shobanagomes.blogspot.com, in conjunction with International Women's Day, 2026. 

The Faction Revolution Modules 1-3 can be purchased on Shobana Gomes' Bookstore for only $0.99/RM3.85. Have you got your copy yet? Don't miss out on knowing about the revolutionary storytelling method that blends facts and fiction. 

Happy Reading.

A Special 2026 New Year Message From Shobana

The year before was one that brought fear and a lot of sadness to the world. It was alarming to see the effects of war on the innocents. I can't believe the number of people who are displaced and the carnage that has devastated places of pilgrimage and ancient sacred monuments, like in the Middle East. The effects were felt in Asia and beyond, one after the other, like a house of cards; the world order toppled.

At the end of 2025, I wasn't sure about what to expect in the New Year of  2026. I did wish 2025 good riddance, though. At the homefront, we lost our mother to sudden death. 2025 was a difficult year to cope with. We heard of many who suffered from terminal diseases and who lost their lives as a result.

I think of the displaced children the most. How would they ever be happy again? If they lost their kin and kindred, that'd be the worst tragedy imaginable. Will this world ever recognise that children are the root of civilisation? They build nations and are the hope of the future. The evolution of humans depends on children, not to mention race and creed.

People are fighting about religion in the 21st century, and I can't understand how they still hate with a ferocity that induces them to kill another human being.

This is the year of the fire horse, and it's going to be another challenging year. The horse has galloped with rage, taking 2026 to a whirlwind affair.

I think we need to pray really hard at that. The stubbornness of men to find peaceful resolutions with warring nations has taken a bitter turn. 

When we pray fervently, miracles happen. I am sure the world wants peace instead of war. But then, how can we forgo our might, pride, prejudice, and justice for peace! Isn't that the way of the world? Like the wars of long ago, men fought to attain peace and killed millions. Up until now, the same strategy has been implemented in the name of peace. Isn't it time for another way, where people are not killed, and countries vanishing right before our eyes are a thing of the past and never allowed again? History repeats itself, but who's learning?

As I sit here and write this, the war in the Middle East has escalated. Airlines are at a standstill as flights are cancelled. Can you imagine the number of people affected by this dire consequence? I know I am. I was supposed to fly past the Middle East to get to my next destination, and now the thought is shelved since the bombs are landing in a lot of the Middle East countries. Those sacred lands are the places God once walked. His footsteps are etched there. I hope these places will be preserved for their historical contribution to a past that relates to our future.

Happy New Year, everyone, and may God bless each one of us with peace.

-shobana-

New Poem on SHOBANA: A conversation between friends.

https://shobanagomes.blogspot.com/2026/03/a-conversation-between-friends.html

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