For the Jews two thousand years ago, today was the culmination of their wait: the Messiah had come to save them: “Hosanna in the Highest! Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord – the King of Israel!”
It is a great day for us as well – the end of Great Lent. The celebration of Christ’s triumphal entry into Jerusalem. The celebration of the day when the Messiah took His rightful place among the faithful. We wave the first fruits of spring – pussy willows – to show our joy at the end of Winter and the beginning of a new life – Spring – with our Messiah. The winter of waiting is over – Christ God is now among us, His chosen people. “Hosanna in the Highest!”
It is a day of renewal for us, a time to celebrate the moment when Christ came into our community and – better yet – into our lives, bringing an end to despair, the healing of our spiritual ailments (and for some, the healing of physical ones). The time when we opened up our hearts to our Lord and allowed Him to take His rightful place on the throne of souls –
“Hosanna in the Highest” – the King of Israel has come to save and rule Jerusalem; a Jerusalem that had suffered for so long.
“Hosanna in the Highest” – the King of the World has come to save and rule my life; a life that had suffered for so long.
Yes, it is a great day of celebration. How appropriate that we have our banners here before us today to signal our joy! Soon we will enjoin the ritual that we do at every Liturgy that commemorates the glorious Entry of Our Lord into Jerusalem. A wonderful reminder of how we brought Christ into the temple of our souls. The Great Entrance. Children will go first, with huge smiles; then come Christ’s attendants, and then Christ Himself (here represented by the bread and wine carried in honor by the priest). He moves through the adoring people – you – as He makes His way towards His throne.
But as the priest goes up the stairs and through the doors, the mood changes. We realize that this is more than just a triumphal entry. The Doors are closed. Christ’s throne is no longer the seat of David, but the altar of sacrifice.
The Jews did not expect this. This is how it is with God. We want to define Him, put Him into a box. He was their Messiah – the one they had defined and waited for so long. He healed the sick – even brought the dead back to life – He would be the one to deliver them from all their worldly problems. The Romans would leave, their Temple would be restored to its proper dignity, all on earth would be set right.
And then what did the Messiah do? Something unexpected. Something that confused the people. Something that confused even His closest disciples and friends. Something that did not meet their expectations.
Doesn’t this happen to us? We greeted our Lord with joy as He brought the promise of Spring into our lives. He would make everything right. Our problems would be solved – how could the servants of a loving and all-God expect anything less?
And then what does God do? Our problems continue. Sometimes they are multiplied. As with the Jews, we are confused. Our faith is not meeting our expectations.
So now we, like them, have a choice: we can give up on Him, keep God in the box, define Him down.
Or we can stop trying to control Him and let Him turn us into immortal reflections of His perfection.
Some saw God’s entry into Jerusalem as the end point of history – the culmination of prophecy; but it was much more. It was the beginning of series of events that, though unexpected, led to the defeat of death and began the remaking of all according to love and holiness.
Which would you rather have? Do not turn your heart into a tomb for the King– let it be His throne. For He will not stay in a tomb – and trying to keep Him there will only create a more fitting place for your own soul. Make your heart His throne, and then join Him as He rules a perfected creation forever.
