CowPi Journal

Father said at Mass that the only creature that knew it was not being cheered for during Jesus’ entrance into Jerusalem on Palm Sunday was the donkey. The donkey knew its place as Bearer of Christ.

We too are called to be Bearer of Christ. We are called to be like the donkey, and not make an ass out of ourselves.

 

“Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.” (John 12:13)

Compare Palm Sunday with Easter Sunday.

The praise and glory the world gives is fickle and temporary. There is a lot of noise and flash, pomp and circumstance. The energy is directed externally, flowing outward like a shout, and disipates. It is self-generated by the crowd and limited.

The praise and glory that God gives is the exact opposite. It is eternal and true. It is quiet and humble. There are no earthly witnesses. The energy is directed internally, flowing inward to build up so that it will spread and be shared. Its source is unlimited.

To go from Palm Sunday to Easter Sunday requires the passing through the threshold of the Paschal Mystery. To find joy, happiness, victory, and life, we must pass through suffering, pain, defeat, and death—only through the Cross, only through Christ.

Amen, amen, I say to you, unless a grain of wheat falls to the ground and dies, it remains just a grain of wheat; but if it dies, it produces much fruit. (John 12:24)

At the Cross her station keeping
Stood the mournful Mother weeping
Close to Jesus to the last

Through her heart, His sorrow sharing
All His bitter anguish bearing
Now at length the sword has passed

Oh how sad and sore distressed
Was that Mother highly blest
Of the sole begotten One

Christ above in torment hangs
She beneath beholds the pangs
Of her dying glorious Son

Is there one who would not weep
Whelmed in miseries so deep
Christ’s dear Mother to behold

Can the human heart refrain
From partaking in her pain
In that Mother’s pain untold

Bruised, derided, cursed, defiled
She beheld her tender Child
All with bloody scourges rent

For the sins of His own nation
Saw Him hang in desolation
Till His spirit forth He sent

O thou Mother! fount of love!
Touch my spirit from above
Make my heart with thine accord

Make me feel as thou hast felt
Make my soul to grow and melt
With the love of Christ our Lord

Holy Mother! pierce me through
In my hear each wound renew
Of my Saviour crucified

Let me share with thee His pain
Who for all my sins was slain
Who for me in torments died

Let me mingle tears with thee
Mourning Him who mourned for me
All the days that I may live

By the Cross with thee to stay
There with thee to weep and pray
Is all I ask of thee to give

Virgin of all virgins blest
Listen to my fond request
Let me share thy grief divine

Let me to my latest breath
In my body bear the death
Of that dying Son of thine

Wounded with His every wound
Steep my soul till it hath swooned
In His very Blood away

Be to me, O Virgin nigh
Lest in flames I burn and die
In His awful judgement day

Christ, when thou shall call me hence
Be thy Mother my defence
Be thy Cross my victory

While my body here decays
May my soul thy goodness praise
Safe in paradise with thee. Amen

— translation of the great Latin hymn

See also First, Second and Third Servant Songs.

See, my servant shall prosper,
he shall be raised high and greatly exalted.

Even as many were amazed at him—
so marred was his look beyond that of man,
and his appearance beyond that of mortals—

So shall he startle many nations,
because of him kings shall stand speechless;
For those who have not been told shall see,
those who have not heard shall ponder it.

Who would believe what we have heard?
To whom has the arm of the LORD been revealed?

He grew up like a sapling before him,
like a shoot from the parched earth;
There was in him no stately bearing to make us look at him,
nor appearance that would attract us to him.

He was spurned and avoided by men,
a man of suffering, accustomed to infirmity,
One of those from whom men hide their faces,
spurned, and we held him in no esteem.

Yet it was our infirmities that he bore,
our sufferings that he endured,
While we thought of him as stricken,
as one smitten by God and afflicted.

But he was pierced for our offenses,
crushed for our sins,
Upon him was the chastisement that makes us whole,
by his stripes we were healed.

We had all gone astray like sheep,
each following his own way;
But the LORD laid upon him
the guilt of us all.

Though he was harshly treated, he submitted
and opened not his mouth;
Like a lamb led to the slaughter
or a sheep before the shearers,
he was silent and opened not his mouth.

Oppressed and condemned, he was taken away,
and who would have thought any more of his destiny?
When he was cut off from the land of the living,
and smitten for the sin of his people,

A grave was assigned him among the wicked
and a burial place with evildoers,
Though he had done no wrong
nor spoken any falsehood.

[But the LORD was pleased to crush him in infirmity.]
If he gives his life as an offering for sin,
he shall see his descendants in a long life,
and the will of the LORD shall be
accomplished through him.

Because of his affliction
he shall see the light in fullness of days;
Through his suffering, my servant shall justify many,
and their guilt he shall bear.

Therefore I will give him his portion among the great,
and he shall divide the spoils with the mighty,
Because he surrendered himself to death
and was counted among the wicked;
And he shall take away the sins of many,
and win pardon for their offenses.

— Isaiah 52:13-53:12 (NAB)

Wow! Reading this passage on this side of Jesus’ life, it is obvious to see the connections and implications of these words in terms of His Passion. The second verse reminded me of the harsh criticism of the movie, saying that the scourging was too much. The fifth verse points to a life of obscurity before His life of public ministry. And the last three versions remind me of many things in the New Testament.

But what strikes me the most is that I can see His Beatitudes written in the spaces between these words, especially the first one on poverty of spirit. I am awed by the complete lack of pride, the pure humility of Jesus to endure all that He did for us. As a young man, before His public ministry, He had read and heard this passage. He knew what the Messiah was going to endure. He also knew that all was gift from God. And yet, when it finally dawned on Him that He was the Messiah, He still said, “Yes Father.”

Thank you Lord!