VI Sunday-Lent-Palm:[A]: Is 50:4-7; Phil 2:6-11; Mt: 21: 1-11 & 27:11-66

VI Sunday-Lent-Palm:[A]: Is 50:4-7; Phil 2:6-11; Mt: 21: 1-11 & 27:11-66

Introduction: Today is Palm Sunday. This day marks the actual beginning of the Paschal Mystery, the journey of our salvation. It is the final journey that brings our Lord to the climax of his ordeal and costly sacrifice for the redemption of humanity. Hence, the Church celebrates Christ’s entrance into Jerusalem in order to accomplish his Paschal Mystery for our sake. Today Ignorant of what await Christ many proclaim him king and shout hosanna in the usual crowd mentality and fashion.

Today’s liturgy combines many contrasting moments -- one of glory and one of suffering -  the royal welcome of Jesus in Jerusalem and the drama of His trial culminating in His crucifixion, death and burial. Passion reading today reminds us the death. Death is transformed by Christ. Jesus, the Son of God, also himself suffered the death that is part of the human condition. Yet, despite his anguish as he faced death, he accepted it in an act of complete and free submission to his Father's will. (Cf. Mk 14:33-34; Heb 5:7-8) The obedience of Jesus has transformed the curse of death into a blessing. (Cf. Rom 5:19-21)

The King on a Donkey’s Back: Jesus is on his final journey to Jerusalem.  It is going to be a solemn entry, almost as a King is about to enter to take possession of his capital. And the procession begins at the Mount of Olives – the mount that is be the stage for the ultimate Day of the Lord (according to Zechariah 14:3-4), the day of judgement.  Perhaps the people have some insight into what is happening.  They throw their cloaks on the road as a sign of their surrender to the king.  And they sing in acclamation.  The lines they sing are partly borrowed from Psalm 118 (verse 26) that celebrates the kingship of the Lord.

But here is a contradiction that the Lord rides on a donkey, and not on a horse.  The horse could indicate a military, violent entry.  So he has purposefully chosen a donkey, he makes a humble entry.  As the prophet Zechariah once again reminds us, “Rejoice heart and soul, daughter of Zion! Shout for joy, daughter of Jerusalem! Look, your king is approaching, he is vindicated and victorious, humble and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey” (Zechariah 9:9).  

The hosanna singers:  It is the same hosanna singers became the shouters of “crucify him….crucify him” It is the same people who said “We have no king but Caesar”.

Joke:  A pastor’s wife was preparing pancakes for her young sons. The boys began to argue over who would get the first pancake. Their Mother saw the opportunity for a moral lesson. If Jesus were sitting here, He would say, "Let my brother have the first pancake. I can wait." The oldest boy turned to his younger brother and said, "You be Jesus."

Exegesis: Today’s celebration is full of symbols. Some of these include: The palm branches and cloths laid on the way for Jesus. The green palm branch as we know is a sign of peace, freshness, royalty, and of course restoration; the crowd symbolizes both praise and denial because, it is this same people who today shout hosanna that will latter on shout crucify him!; Jerusalem of this time is a symbol of crown, glory and the cross because, it is in it that Jesus was crowned king and it is also in it that He will be crucified, and also it is in it that he will resurrect. Finally, the donkey or the colt which is a beast of burden on which Christ rode is highly symbolic and significant of Christ’s own humility in fulfillment of the prophecy: “…he is humble; he rides on a donkey and on a colt, the foal of a beast of burden.” Christ’s humility here is quite contrary to the flamboyant and reckless display of wealth, power and firm by our rulers and leaders today. In spite of the fact that he is God, he condescended so low as to ride on the poorest of beasts. He did not need to block all the roads and cause untold hardship to his people because he was passing by. He did not violate traffic rules because he is Lord; he needed no soldiers and heavily armed security officers or bullet proof equipments to intimidate his people because he was passing by and there was no need of sirens in order to clear the road for him alone to pass through it. Instead, he simply mounted a colt and made his royal, courageous and brave entry into Jerusalem. Of course, he knew it was time to accomplish his mission on earth and so there was nothing to be afraid of. He displayed the true quality of a self-sacrificing king.

Practical applications:  1)Let us live through these paradoxes during the coming week, together with Jesus.  It is in living through the paradoxes of our life is our own salvation. Let us feel as he felt. Let us think as-he thought.  Let us pray as he prayed.  It is in being united with him in his suffering, death, and resurrection is our own victory.

2)  Let us be not the same hosanna singers who shouted to crucify him.  Be on a stand to hold a good opinion to help each other and encourage them.

Introduction: Sixth Sunday in Lent / Palm Sunday

Message: Jesus humbling himself out of love for us, did not shield his face from buffets and spitting, but offered his life on the cross.  He relied on his Father’s love.