The king enters his city – at last, He has arrived in Jerusalem, entering in triumph – The crowds shouting “Blessed is the king who comes in the name of the Lord.” – palms laid at his feet – but things are not always as they seem. What king enters his city victoriously on Colt? Where is the magnificent horse? And with religious leaders questioning him? – calling on him to stop? Something is not quite right.
A couple of days later - “Crucify Him! Crucify Him!” – the same crowds -– it is incredible how fast things change –The King did enter his city – but that was not his triumph – Christ does not come as a conquering general returning to his city. –He is crucified, as a common criminal, seemingly brought low.
But things are not always what they seem – Jesus entered Jerusalem on a colt for a reason – a humble entrance – he did not come as victorious conquer, but to empty himself out – giving all for the salvation of the world – for it is “Not my will, but your will” – His entrance was not his victory, no matter how right and just the glory of his entrance was – it is Christ’s passion and death, they are the emptying out – that is the road Jesus takes – one that ends next week with Easter, that is Christ’s victory.
Lent is coming towards its end; it is coming towards its pinnacle. It is the beginning of Holy Week. - This week, remember Jesus’ Passion, Death, and Resurrection. Maybe Lent has gone well - perhaps poorly. Perhaps life is going well - or maybe it is a struggle. There have been great moments and sad, difficult moments. At times things seem easy, others impossible.
In the high moments, can we remember that things might not be as great as they seem? After all the crowds turned in Christ, let us always maintain humility. In the challenges that things are not as hopeless as they seem, Christ’s victory goes through death and resurrection; let us preserve in hope and trust in God. No matter how Lent has gone or how life is going, In all things, can we, in humility, unite ourselves to Christ, with him, on Easter, rise with him.