4th Passiontide
Palm Sunday
Matthew 21: 1-11 (adapted from Madsen)
And they approached Jerusalem and came to Bethphage by
the Mount of Olives. Then Jesus sent two disciples ahead and said to them, “Go to the village which you see before you and at once you will find a donkey tied there and her foal with her. Untie them and bring them to me. If anyone says anything to you, tell him that the Lord needs them, and he will let you take them right away.”
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| Hippolyte Flandrin |
This took place to fulfill what was spoken through the prophet:
‘Say to the daughter of Zion,
Behold, your king comes to you in majesty.
Gentle is He, and He rides on a donkey and on a foal of the beast of burden.’
The disciples went and did as Jesus had instructed them. They brought the donkey and the foal, placed their garments on them, and Jesus sat on them.
Many out of the large crowd spread their clothes on the road, while others cut branches from the trees and spread them on the road. The crowds that went ahead of them and followed Him shouted:
Hosanna to the Son of David!
Blessed is he who comes in the Name and Power of the Lord!
Hosannah in the highest! [Sing to Him in the highest heights!]
When Jesus entered Jerusalem, the whole city was stirred and asked, “Who is he?” The crowds answered, “This is Jesus, the prophet from Nazareth in Galilee.”
4th Passiontide,
Palm Sunday
April 14, 2019
Matthew 21: 1-11
Vessels such as bowls are made, obviously, to carry content. The content is on the inside, and the vessel surrounds it. At the same time, there is a further aspect; the person carrying the bowl carries both the bowl and its
contents.
Christ Jesus enters Jerusalem carried by a beast of burden and its foal. This animal is a symbol of our physical body. The body bears the weight of our destiny and of our deeds. In the picture language of this reading, Jesus’ body is the vessel for Christ’s spirit of love. Christ is the content of the vessel of the body of Jesus. And at the same time, Christ is both inside and outside. Christ Jesus rides above the bodily beast of burden. And he guides it regally toward its own suffering and death, and toward its resurrection.
We too are spiritual beings carried within a bodily vessel. Our body as a beast of destiny’s burden carries us, too, ultimately toward the end of earthly life that we all must approach.
But our hearts can connect with Christ. He can be the content of our souls, the ‘small, bright wedge of freedom in your own heart’, as the poet* says. And at the same time, He can be both content and the One carrying the vessel. Our heart’s connection with Christ gives us One who rides with us, guides us. He is riding both the old beast of destiny’s burden and the young foal which will carry us into the future. He accompanies us on our journey with His strength and love and power of resurrection.
