Gospel: Matthew 21:1-11
When Jesus and the
disciples drew near Jerusalem and came to Bethphage on the Mount of Olives,
Jesus sent two disciples, saying to them, "Go into the village opposite
you, and immediately you will find an ass tethered, and a colt with her. Untie
them and bring them here to me. And if anyone should say anything to you,
reply, 'The master has need of them.' Then he will send
them at once." This happened so that what had been spoken through the
prophet might be fulfilled: Say to daughter Zion, "Behold, your king comes
to you, meek and riding on an ass, and on a colt, the foal of a beast of
burden." The disciples went and did as Jesus had ordered them. They
brought the ass and the colt and laid their cloaks over them, and he sat upon
them. The very large crowd spread their cloaks on the road, while others cut
branches from the trees and strewed them on the road. The crowds preceding him
and those following kept crying out and saying: "Hosanna to the Son of
David; blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord; hosanna in the
highest." And when he entered Jerusalem the whole city was shaken and
asked, "Who is this?" And the crowds replied, "This is Jesus the
prophet, from Nazareth in Galilee."
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Reflection:
A story is told
about a group of men who promised to stand by their leader until the very end.
It was a good leader to subordinate relationship in the beginning but when the leader
encountered troubles in his life. The group of men who promised to stand by
their leader until the very end was nowhere to be found anymore.
There are
fair-weather friends/followers and there are few friends/followers who would be
willing to stand by us until the very end.
While Jesus was on
his way to Jerusalem riding on an ass, the crowds were on a festive mood. They
spread their cloaks on the road as a sign of respect and adulation for
Jesus. They were boisterously shouting:
"Hosanna to the Son of David; blessed is he who comes in the name of the
Lord; hosanna in the highest."
These crowds are the
fair-weather followers of Jesus who would eventually disown him and shout to
high heavens: “Crucify him! crucify him!" What a betrayal of loyalty!
Why did they betray Jesus? Because there were
no more miracles coming from Jesus and no more extra-ordinary showcase of power
and healing. This is who many of us are; very disloyal when we cannot get
anything anymore from our Lord and savior. And when we go through the humps and
bumps in our lives.
But not everyone
left Jesus! There were a number of loyal followers who stood by Him until his last
gasp of breath on the cross. John 19:25-27 says: “Standing by the cross of
Jesus were his mother (Mary) and his mother's sister, Mary the wife of Cleopas,
and Mary of Magdala. When Jesus saw his mother and the ever loyal disciple John
at the foot of the cross. Jesus said to his mother, "Woman, behold, your
son." Then he said to the disciple, "Behold, your mother."
As we are ushered into
the first day of Holy week we may want to ask ourselves: Who am I as a
friend/follower of Jesus? Am I a fair-weather friend/follower or a friend until
the very end? – Marino J. Dasmarinas
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