Some late thoughts on Holy Week (Part 1)

I have been meaning to write a few thoughts about Holy Week, but have not gotten around to it until now. So here goes.

Palm Sunday -- Last year I gave some thoughts about the big issues of Palm Sunday. This year, as I sat there I thought about something else. Namely, my Jesus rode into Jerusalem on a donkey. A donkey is, after all, a somewhat ridiculous creature. But in that way, it was the perfect animal to transport the Lord into the city.

A donkey is not much like a horse. A horse is an animal of war and money and power. Jesus riding into Jerusalem on a horse would have been confirmation to many that he was about to restore Israel by force.

A donkey though is the animal of the hard working farmer or peaceful merchant. Armies may use donkeys as draft animals, but the ca;vary rides war horses.

In short, the horse is the animal of war, but the donkey is the animal of peace.

So it was fitting that Jesus entered the city as he did.

Thoughts on Palm Sunday

What does Palm Sunday mean to me? That sounds like the beginning of a bad essay I wrote in CCD a long time ago.

So really, what does it mean? The reading of the Passion reminds us that Jesus entered Jerusalem in triumph, but within days was crucified. I have always thought of it as a statement of human fickleness. Within the period of five days, the people went from hailing Jesus as the Messiah to screaming for his death.

But I think it is something more. During the reading of the Passion, the congregation steps in for the mob. We are the ones calling for Jesus to die. Rather, I am. It is my sins, my failings, my transgressions for which Jesus died. Yet I am still offered the redemption that the cross bought us.