The triumphant entry into Jerusalem: Matthew 21:1-17
Imaginative Contemplation
Enter into the scene
My companion Amos and I were talking to a few of our friends. A lot has happened in Jerusalem in the last few weeks. Amos began by recalling his memory of Jesus entering the city. ‘We were at Bethphage, and Jesus asked two of us to bring him a donkey and its colt. We were a bit puzzled, but he reassured us that the owner knew about the request. When we found the animals, sure enough, the owner let us take them away. Donkeys are not easy to deal with, and this one was no exception. Planting her feet, she refused to move! What was I to do? I stopped pulling her and whispered in her ear. ‘Jesus wants you.’ She looked up, and she and her colt willingly came down the steep gravelly lane from the Mount of Olives. We found Jesus in an excited crowd. A bystander pulled off his cloak and spread it over the dirty back of the colt, who was skipping around its mother until someone helped Jesus to mount. Someone said, ‘This looks like a procession. Yes, here is the Messiah! Long live the King!’ The mantra was taken up, and people spread more cloaks on the road as they shouted and wave palm branches. Then I remembered what the Prophet had said, ‘Tell the city of Zion!
Now your King is coming to you.
He is gentle and rides on a donkey,
On a colt, the foal of a donkey.’
When Jesus entered Jerusalem, the whole city was thrown into uproar. ‘Who is he?’ the people asked.
‘This is Jesus, the prophet from Nazareth,’ the crowd answered.
This was dangerous. I became fearful of what might happen. But worse was to come.
Jesus, usually so calm and peaceful, went into the Temple, God’s holy place, and his anger rose. I could hear him breathing heavily, and then he confronted those who were selling animals for the sacrifice, and the money-changers. Pushing over the tables with their piles of coins, he ordered the traders out, telling them ‘God said ‘My house will be a house of prayer’, but you have turned it into a den of thieves.’
When the workers, shaken by this encounter, had scurried out of the building, Jesus calmed down and began healing some people who were obviously blind and others who were crippled. These had come into the temple now that there was room to move about. Then I heard the priests and teachers of the Law approaching. They were cautious, because the crowd was so captivated by what was happening. Even the children were excited. The authorities said to Jesus, ‘Can’t you hear what these people are saying? Stop them!’ Jesus retorted ‘Indeed I do hear them, and I have no intention of stopping them. They are proclaiming the truth.’
I came away from the Temple very disturbed. Jesus was asking for trouble, and I feared the consequences.
I was not surprised to learn what happened to Jesus in the following weeks.
For further reflection
Discuss with Jesus the following points:
· Jesus does not use power and wealth to proclaim God’s Kingdom. Am I content to follow Jesus in his humility and poverty?
· Am I prepared to stand up for what is right, regardless of the consequences?
· Can I recognise God’s message coming to me in simple ways?
· Do I try to find a quiet place for prayer?
· Do I try to live in the present moment without worrying about the future?
Prayer
Lord, grant me the grace to speak your truth despite the possible consequences. Help me to support good initiatives with prayer and action. Amen.