Palm Sunday is a reminder to us of many things. It reminds us that Holy Week begins our highest holy days of the Church heading into Easter Sunday and the Solemnities that follow during the first week of Easter. It reminds us of Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem and a few brief moments in which the people recognized Him as King, even though they may have saw him as an earthly king only, nevertheless, he was being honored. It reminds also of God’s unimaginable, unfathomable, and in some ways even “unbelievable” plan, in whom He chose to be a mover and shaker of history itself. This would be the Son of God as we know, but come to us as an average person, a carpenter from Nazareth.
What would you and I have seen that day when Jesus entered Jerusalem? Would we have seen Jesus as King? Would we have seen or understood Jesus as Messiah? Would we have believed in Jesus as Son of God, or even as God? Or would we have seen Jesus as an imposter, a harmless day dreamer, or even as a blasphemer? Who would we have seen?
In some ways the questions are unfair, because it’s already after the fact, nevertheless, they remain good reflection questions not just about Jesus, but about our neighbors as well. And who is my neighbor, well, everyone.
To reflect on the questions posed we need background information to make up our minds. Before examining Jesus’ life I want to delve into whom God chooses to shake up history and how sometimes they would not be the people we would have chosen.
Let’s begin with King David. He is the youngest of seven brothers. His family is not renowned for anything in society, they are average people who work the fields, and they are shepherds. The Prophet Samuel is told to go to Bethlehem and seek out one of Jesse’s sons and anoint him king of Israel. As each son approaches Samuel, he thinks it is that one; for instance, surely it is this one, he looks strong, or surely it is this one, he is handsome, or this one, he has a kingly disposition. But it is not any of the first six. God tells Samuel, “It is none of these, you are judging as human’s judge, call for the youngest.” Finally David the smallest, the youngest, the one doing the most menial of chores is called, and lo and behold, there is the King of Israel. Eventually he takes the throne and becomes one of the most important figures in all of Jewish history, and a man who’s kingship who knows few equals.
If we would have been able to choose the king who would it have been? Maybe the next in line, King Saul’s oldest son. Maybe our own son? Someone who was rich, renowned, prestigious, or would we have chosen the youngest son of Jesse from a family of sheep herders? What if God showed us that David would fall into grave sin before He chose David would we have still chosen him if God gave us the option to chose, or would we rather not have wanted David out of office once we learned of his sins, if not placing him there at all?
Another powerful example is that of Mary, our blessed Mother. Out of all the women whom have ever walked the face of this earth, none are like her, since she is the fairest honor of our race. But who was she back in Nazareth? Was she from a prominent family? Did she come from money, royalty, power or prestige? No, she was a poor girl working hard at daily chores for her mother Ann and her father Joachim. This little poor girl would become the Mother of God! Surely there were other women who may have seemed more beautiful, or who were daughters of powerful families, or who were rich, even educated and refined, but no God chose Mary, for we do not see as God sees.
What if we were one of the 12 apostles and someone told us that Saul from Tarsus, the man who has given his life purpose over to arresting Christians, even having them executed would become the greatest amongst us, that he would write or influence almost half the New Testament. How would we have accepted that? With open arms or with confusion, anger, and even jealousy?
These are stories that happened in the past. Yet they are reminders of the present, because they still occur. Jesus comes to us riding on a donkey quite often, and who do we see? When a person at work receives a promotion instead of you, do you praise God? Us priests and religious when we are passed up for a position within the community or diocese how do we respond? Sometimes not that well. We can’t believe that our superior chose that one over me or that bishop assigned him as pastor. We are just beside ourselves. Or young people when your coach sits you on the bench for someone who has worked harder than you, and parents do you believe that that is possible, that someone may be better than your own child? All of us are guilty of not recognizing who God chooses, because we already made up our minds, it’s supposed to be me or someone whom I have chosen!
Jesus came riding into Jerusalem on a donkey. You and I were there because he rides into our lives every day. Who do we see? Jesus was the poor carpenter, unrenowned, the man who called himself “YHWH” at least once (c.f. John 8:58) and many times implied it by making himself equal to God. Yes, you and I believe that today the King of Kings enters Jerusalem triumphant; we believe that He is one in being with the Father as we profess every Sunday. I do not doubt this for any of us. But how does Jesus enter Jerusalem today, right now? He entered in each and every person gathered here, as each of you entered this Church and kneeled down to pray Christ entered the Holy City, He entered into a sanctuary not built by human hands, but by our hearts. Take a look around, Jesus is present. You don’t have to go far to look, right in front of you, right behind you, to your left, and to your right. When we accept one another and welcome one another it is Christ we welcome. Yes the palms are for Jesus and we absolutely praise Him as they did 2,000 years ago when He actually entered Jerusalem. But we also extend them to our neighbor for surely Christ has entered their hearts as He has ours. Amen.
Fr. John
Picture taken from http://www.dst-corp.com/james/PaintingsOfJesus/NoJS.htm
No comments:
Post a Comment