In the name of the Father and of the Son and of the Holy Spirit
My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?
1. Let us open our hearts to receive God’s Word
When they had come near Jerusalem and had reached Bethphage, at the Mount of Olives, Jesus sent two disciples, saying to them, “Go into the village ahead of you, and immediately you will find a donkey tied, and a colt with her; untie them and bring them to me. If anyone says anything to you, just say this, ‘The Lord needs them.’ And he will send them immediately.” This took place to fulfill what had been spoken through the prophet, saying,
“Tell the daughter of Zion,
Look, your king is coming to you,
humble, and mounted on a donkey,
and on a colt, the foal of a donkey.”
The disciples went and did as Jesus had directed them; they brought the donkey and the colt, and put their cloaks on them, and he sat on them. A very large crowd spread their cloaks on the road, and others cut branches from the trees and spread them on the road. The crowds that went ahead of him and that followed were shouting,
“Hosanna to the Son of David!
Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord!
Hosanna in the highest heaven!”
When he entered Jerusalem, the whole city was in turmoil, asking, “Who is this?” The crowds were saying, “This is the prophet Jesus from Nazareth in Galilee.” (Mt 21:1-11)
i. “Tell the daughter of Zion, Look, your king is coming to you, humble, and mounted on a donkey, and on a colt, the foal of a donkey.”
Humble, but not passive,
not a reed blown by the wind,
afraid or ineffective!
Humble yet determined
to save the world with his own qualities (not those of the world)
through goodness not macchiavellism
living truth not presenting facades to cover hypocrisy!
Reflect:
In order to reach your goals which tools are you using? Those of Christ or those of the evil one?
ii. brought the donkey and the colt, and put their cloaks on them, and he sat on them. A very large crowd spread their cloaks on the road …
We spread our cloaks
On the donkey, and under the colt!
Am I risking too much?
Will this decision take me far?
Those who have power have shot Him down!
Will He rise again? Will I rise with Him?
Reflect:
Where do you experience the challenge to follow Jesus?
iii. When he entered Jerusalem, the whole city was in turmoil, asking, “Who is this?”
He enters Jerusalem humbly
and those who have power panic
those using deceptive means, are in turmoil.
Already at his birth
King Herod “was frightened, and all Jerusalem with him” (Mt 2,3)
Now the whole city is once again in turmoil!
“Who is this?”
“Who am I?”
Reflect:
Jesus, God-with-us, humble-riding a donkey, gentle and determined: what’s his impact on you? Turmoil? Or … ?
3. Our Father
Thanks to Fr Jimmy Bonnici for this reflection