THE TRIUMPHAL ENTRY OF JESUS IN JERUSALEM

Before procession

Today we celebrate the beginning of Holy Week. Which starts with the Triumphal Entry of Jesus in Jerusalem or popularly known as the Palm Sunday. The Church also named it as the Passion Sunday. The disciples and the crowd hailed Jesus as king who comes in the name of the Lord. The scene has a fiesta atmosphere with people shouting: “Hosanna!” or hail to the king. But Let us pose a little; who is this King? Does this scene give the image of a Messiah who will liberate them from the bondage of slavery? Instead of Jesus riding on a horse which symbolizes physical force and victory in a battle, he was riding on a donkey which symbolizes humble service, a symbol of peace. In other words, by riding on a donkey, Jesus is bringing forth a message of peace that comes from God to His people.

The Gospel records the arrival of Jesus in the city of Jerusalem riding on that donkey while the crowds spread their cloaks on the road, waved palm branches, and shouted “Hosanna to the Son of David. Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.” The custom of laying down cloaks on the ground and waving palm branches is a gesture of welcome for a dignitary or a king, especially if he arrives in victory or triumph. The people thus recognized the kingship of Jesus that He was the promised Messiah who would save them from their afflictions. Let us join the crowd and follow Jesus to Jerusalem.

During mass

Today’s celebration begins with the Blessing of Palms and the Commemoration of Our Lord’s Entry to Jerusalem. Then the mass in its usual form follows, with the Passion of Our Lord Jesus Christ read as the Gospel Reading. Looking at this event which we celebrate, we see that there is a sudden change in the mood of the celebration from a glorious and joyful acclamation of the solemn entry of Jesus in Jerusalem, to a rejection and betrayal of the same Jesus. I was reflecting on the reason of the betrayal and what comes out from the gospel reading is that the only offense they could pin on Jesus in order to bring him Pilate so that may be condemned and killed was to accuse him of claiming to be their king.

And Jesus answers clearly that he is the King of the Jews; “you say that I am”. Misled by the Jewish leaders, the crowd changed the mind. People who were crying “Hosanna Son of David”, they are now crying “Crucify him”. This is what also happens today. Many of us who believe in Jesus get lost by the allurements of this world. Many of us would worship the Lord but then would succumb to temptations and give in to sin. Today He calls us to come to our own conclusion of who he is for us. We all have to answer the most important question he asked his disciples at Caesarea Philippi: “Who do you say that I am?”

We all know how Pilate answered this question. He had “Jesus Christ King of the Jews written on the cross but he didn’t mean it. It was to ridicule the Jews. As we answer that question, are we with Pilate who is willing to call Jesus King but not from the heart? Are we with the Jewish leaders who judged him to be an impostor? Are we with the crowd who acclaimed him as king and messiah when it was the popular thing to do, but who later deserted him? Or are we with the few of his disciples who are willing to follow him even to Calvary? This week, the holy week gives us a lot of opportunities to reflect on who Jesus is and especially who he is for us personally.

Story of the Pope with heart problem

There’s a story about a pope whose heart was faltering, hence needing a heart transplant. The sad news was announced to the huge crowd gathered at St. Peter’s Square and an appeal for a volunteer to donate his heart went out. Enthusiastically all the men raised their hands in response.

Since there were so many volunteers and only one was needed, the cardinal-secretary announced that the selection would be done by dropping a feather from the high balcony and whomever it fell on would be the privileged donor. The feather was dropped and it slowly glided down. But as it fluttered over the heads of the volunteers, each one blew “phew, phew, phew,” and the feather landed on the ground.

That’s just a story but it illustrates that it’s easy to profess loyalty in words but when some sacrifice is required, we disobey. It is easy to profess our faith in Church, in the crowd, but when it comes to personal response and commitment, we are hesitant if not unwilling to profess the same faith we always profess in the group.

Story of the donkey

The following day after the entry of Jesus to Jerusalem, the donkey awakened, his mind still savoring the joys of the most exciting day of his life. Never before had he felt such a rush of pleasure and pride. He walked into town and found a group of people by the well. He thought they will do as they did yesterday. "I'll show myself to them," he thought. But they didn't notice him. They went on drawing their water and paid him no mind. "Throw your garments down," he said crossly. "Don't you know who I am?" They just looked at him in amazement. Someone slapped him across the tail and ordered him to move.

"Miserable heathens!" he muttered to himself. "I'll just go to the market where the good people are. They will remember me." But the same thing happened. No one paid any attention to the donkey as he strutted down the main street in front of the market place. "The palm branches! Where are the palm branches!" he shouted. "Yesterday, you threw palm branches!" Hurt and confused, the donkey returned home to his mother.

"Foolish child," she said gently. "Don't you realize that without Him, you are just an ordinary donkey? Without him you are just a poor animal!" Without Jesus you are just nothing.