Blessed Is the King Who Comes in the Name of the Lord
Today we begin Holy Week, the most solemn week in the Church
calendar. We reflect upon the events that brought about our salvation. Jesus triumphantly
enters into Jerusalem, the City of Peace, in order to announce the Good News, not
just with His words but by His act of loving sacrifice for all people. We journey
along with Him as He celebrates the great feast of Passover and becomes the New
Paschal Lamb Whose blood is poured out so that we, the New Israel, might experience
the liberation from sin and the new life of grace. We look on as Jesus suffers His
passion and crucifixion. And ultimately, we will experience His glorification from
the cross and at the tomb.
Today we begin Holy Week. In our readings today we are taken
through the events of the next eight days. It begins with Jesus’ triumphant entry
into Jerusalem. The glory at the end of the eight days is alluded in St. Paul’s
letter to the Philippians.
The readings are so powerful in what they say about Who Jesus
is and what He came to do. It reminds us of His mission and His dedication to announcing
the Good News of God’s love for us.
Gospel: Matthew 21:1-11
‘Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!’
Commentary: Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem reveals Him as the humble
yet sovereign Messiah, fulfilling the prophecy of Book of Zechariah (Zech 9:9) by
riding on a donkey rather than a war horse. The deliberate preparation of the colt
shows His divine foreknowledge and authority, indicating that His mission unfolds
according to God’s plan. The crowds acclaim Him with “Hosanna to the Son of David,”
recognizing Him as the promised king in the line of David, though their expectations
are largely political and incomplete. The spreading of cloaks and branches signifies
royal homage, yet it also foreshadows the paradox of a king who will reign through
suffering. Thus, this passage presents Jesus as the true King whose kingdom is marked
not by power and conquest, but by humility, peace, and redemptive love.
First Reading: Isaiah 50:4-7
‘I hid not my face from disgrace, and I know that I shall
not be put to shame.’
Commentary: The four Songs of the Servant of the Lord occur in the second part of the Book of Isaiah, pronounced by the prophet in the last days of the Babylonian Exile, a time which was vital for the consolidation and re-formation of Israel. They seem to hang together and form a body somewhat, but not entirely, separate from the rest of the prophecy.
The third Song sings of the suffering accepted by the Servant
for the LORD, humiliation, insult and spitting.
Who, then, is this Servant? In its primary meaning it has been
understood as the prophet himself, reflecting on his own experiences as God’s messenger
to Israel, though the difficulty here is that, as well as having a mission to Israel,
he is identified as part of Israel. Is that identification in the second Song a
later addition? The sufferings described in other Songs must be personal. Perhaps
it is the prophet precisely as identified with Israel. Should a further extension
of the meaning be understood as the long-term suffering of the People of God in
witnessing to the values of Judaism? Certainly Christianity sees the prophecies
to be fulfilled in the mission and sufferings of Jesus.
Responsorial Psalm: 22:8-9. 17-18a. 19-20. 23-24
My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?
Psalm 22 begins with words that we use as our refrain: “My God,
My God, why have You abandoned me.” Jes
us will quote these words as He dies on the
cross. The psalm continues as it describes the suffering of an individual: the ridicule
by people who belittle the relationship that the “Suffering One” has with God; the
piercing of the hands and feet, the casting of lots for the garments of the one
being persecuted. The psalm ends with trust being ultimately placed in God. It speaks
about the glory of the LORD being proclaimed by the One Who has suffered.
Second Reading: Philippians 2:6-11
‘He humbled himself, therefore God has highly exalted him.’
Commentary: This hymn
was probably not written by Paul himself, but taken up by him into the letter, a
very early Christian hymn. It celebrates the triumph of Jesus through his selflessness.
The assertions at the end are staggering. The hymn claims for Jesus the titles and
the worship which are due only to God. What is more, this acknowledgement of Jesus
does not detract from the glory of God, but is precisely ‘to the glory of God the
Father’. This is perhaps the fullest statement in Paul of the divine glory of Jesus,
and it is won by his humiliation in death.
Matthew 26:14-27:66
The Passion of our Lord Jesus Christ according to Matthew.
Commentary: The accounts of the Passion given by the four evangelists are not identical. The basic outline of these dreadful events was clear enough. It is confirmed by the contemporary Jewish historian Josephus, who tells us that Jesus was crucified by Pontius Pilate at the instigation of the Jewish leaders. The task of the gospel-writers is not to relay to us the raw facts, but to help us understand their significance. Each stresses a particular aspect. For instance, John underlines that this was the triumph of Jesus: he shows his divinity already at the arrest-scene. He himself yielded up his Spirit only when he had completed his task. Matthew’s preoccupation with Judaism dictates that he show in detail how the events accord with God’s plan revealed in the scriptures. Almost every incident is told in such a way that hearers familiar with the scriptures would catch allusions to the biblical writings: nowhere is this more obvious than in the account of the death of Judas. Though Pilate the governor must bear the final responsibility, Matthew also stresses the pressure put on him by the crowd manipulated by the politically adept Jewish authorities, culminating in the horrific cry, ‘His blood be on us and on our children’– an allusion to the sufferings undergone by the next generation during the siege of Jerusalem by the Romans. The significance of the events is further underlined by the apocalyptic earthquake at Jesus’ death, and by the immediate release of the blessed dead, who come at last into the Holy City.
Reflection: Does the King of glory find a welcome entry in your
home and heart? Jesus went to Jerusalem knowing full well what awaited him - betrayal,
rejection, and crucifixion. The people of Jerusalem, however, were ready to hail
him as their Messianic King! Little did they know what it would cost this king to
usher in his kingdom. Jesus' entry into Jerusalem astride a colt was a direct fulfillment
of the Messianic prophecy of Zechariah (9:9): Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion.
Shout aloud, O daughter of Jerusalem. Lo, your king comes to you; triumphant and
victorious is he, and riding on an donkey and upon a colt the foal of a donkey.
Those who believe, hope, and love receive Christ's kingdom
of peace and eternal life.
The colt was a sign of peace. Jesus enters Jerusalem in meekness
and humility, as the Messianic King who offers victory and peace to his people.
That victory and peace would be secured in the cross and resurrection which would
soon take place at the time of Passover.
Augustine, the great 5th century church father, comments on
the significance of Jesus' entry into Jerusalem:
"The master of humility is Christ who humbled himself and
became obedient even to death, even the death of the cross. Thus he does not lose
his divinity when he teaches us humility... What great thing was it to the king
of the ages to become the king of humanity? For Christ was not the king of Israel
so that he might exact a tax or equip an army with weaponry and visibly vanquish
an enemy. He was the king of Israel in that he rules minds, in that he gives counsel
for eternity, in that he leads into the kingdom of heaven for those who believe,
hope, and love. It is a condescension, not an advancement for one who is the Son
of God, equal to the Father, the Word through whom all things were made, to become
king of Israel. It is an indication of pity, not an increase in power." (Tractates
on John 51.3-4)
Psalm 24 is another prophetic passage which echoes this triumphal
procession of the King of glory: Lift up your heads, O gates! and be lifted up,
O ancient doors! that the King of glory may come in.
Jesus Christ came to bring us the kingdom of God. He is the true
King who offers peace, joy, and everlasting life for those who accept his kingship.
Does the King of glory find a welcome entry in your heart and home? Do your walls
echo with the praise of his glory?
Lord Jesus, be the King and Ruler of my heart, mind, life, and
home. May my life reflect your meekness and humility that you may be honored as
the King of glory!
Daily Quote from the Early Church Fathers: The following of Christ,
by Augustine of Hippo, 354-430 A.D.
"Come, follow Me, says the Lord. Do you love? He has hastened
on, He has flown on ahead. Look and see where. O Christian, don't you know where
your Lord has gone? I ask you: Don't you wish to follow Him there? Through trials,
insults, the cross, and death. Why do you hesitate? Look, the way has been shown
you." (excerpt from Sermon 64,5)
your name on his palms: “Once
again Jesus cried out in a loud voice, and then gave up His spirit.” —Matthew 27:50
Why did Jesus suffer and die on the cross? He did it for love
of each one of us — not generically but individually. Because Jesus is the all-powerful
God Who is Love (1 Jn 4:16), He has a special, personal, individual love for
everyone in existence. If we look at the hands of the crucified and glorified Jesus,
each one of us will see his or her name written on the palms of His hands (see Is 49:16), right next to the hole from the crucifixion. When
Jesus was dying on the cross, He pictured your face, and He had your name on His
lips. Jesus died for you, knowing everything about you. He died specifically because
of your sins; He died consciously for love of you.
When each one of us realizes that we have been and are loved individually with a crucified, perfect, infinite,
and divine love, our lives can no longer be the same. We must throw our palms and
ourselves at Jesus’ feet in worship (Mt 21:8). Knowing His personal love, we must cry out in faith:
“Clearly this was the Son of God!” (Mt 27:54) Living in His love (Jn 15:9), we must live, suffer, and die for Him Who is Love,
“so that at Jesus’ name every knee must bend in the heavens, on the earth, and under
the earth, and every tongue proclaim to the glory of God the Father: JESUS CHRIST
IS LORD!” (Phil 2:10-11)
Prayer: Jesus, You gave Your life for me; I give my life for
You. “Morning after morning He opens my ear that I may hear; and I have not rebelled,
have not turned back.” —Is 50:4-5. “Blessed is He Who comes in the name of the Lord!
Hosanna in the highest!” (Mt 21:9).
The personal action for today: When I think of the events of Holy Week, what thoughts
come to mind? How can I make this week the holiest week of the year? How can I share
the Good News of the paschal mysteries to those with whom I come in contact?
Saint Ludovico of Casoria: Born in Casoria, near Naples, Arcangelo Palmentieri
was a cabinet-maker before entering the Friars Minor in 1832, taking the name Ludovico.
After his ordination five years later, he taught chemistry, physics, and mathematics
to younger members of his province for several years.
In 1847, he had a mystical experience which he later described
as a cleansing. After that, he dedicated his life to the poor and the infirm, establishing
a dispensary for the poor, two schools for African children, an institute for the
children of nobility, as well as an institution for orphans, the deaf, and the speechless,
and other institutes for the blind, elderly, and for travelers. In addition to an
infirmary for friars of his province, he began charitable institutes in Naples,
Florence, and Assisi. He once said, “Christ’s love has wounded my heart.” This love
prompted him to great acts of charity.
To help continue these works of mercy, in 1859 he established
the Gray Brothers, a religious community composed of men who formerly belonged to
the Secular Franciscan Order. Three years later, he founded the Gray Sisters of
St. Elizabeth for the same purpose.
Toward the beginning of his final, nine-year illness, Saint Ludovico
of Casoria wrote a spiritual testament which described faith as “light in the darkness,
help in sickness, blessing in tribulations, paradise in the crucifixion, and life
amid death.” The local work for his beatification began within five months of Saint
Ludovico of Casoria’s death. He was beatified in 1993 and canonized in 2014.
Saintly people are not protected from suffering, but with God’s help they learn how to develop compassion from it. In the face of great suffering, we move either toward compassion or indifference. Saintly men and women show us the path toward compassion.
