Palm Sunday

Jesus went up a high mountain with Peter, James and John and was transfigured before them. It was a moment of exaltation for Jesus openly confirmed and embraced by the Father “...this is my beloved Son, listen to him.” It was an experience of utter awe for the prostrate disciples prohibitedby Jesus to tell anyone because as He said to His Mother “My hour has not yetcome” and they obeyed in great wonder.

There is a kind of similarity between this event on Mt. Tabor and Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem. It too is a moment of exaltation for Jesus with crowds of people waving palm branches, covering the road with cloaks, shouting “Hosanna to the Son of David!” Whereas on Mt. Tabor the event came suddenly at the Father’s bidding, now Jesus Himself instructed the disciples
what to prepare. His time had come; secrecy was over. His action proclaimed“...listen to Me!” In all this He was embracing the Father’s will to the full knowing what it would lead to.

Clearly Jesus was living the words of the prophet Zechariah (9: 9): “..shout for joy, O daughter Jerusalem! See, your king shall come to you; a just savior is he, meek, and riding on an ass, on a colt, the foal of an ass.” Surely, many in thatcrowd recalled that prophecy with wonder and delight and shouted all the louder.

The crowd shouting with joy, welcoming Jesus of Nazareth with an enthusiasm that very greatly disturbed the Pharisees, as we know, was of short duration. In a few days the same crowd, urged on the Pharisees will shout “Crucify Him...We have no king but Caesar.” His own disciples will scatter and hide and Judas, the betrayer will have pocketed 30 pieces of silver.
As He predicted, Jesus will be lifted up on a cross - beaten, abused, tortured, nailed, ridiculed, blasphemed and left to die in agony. Mary, His mother, and a few others will stand by the Crucified One in grief beyond words, steadfast in love and totally helpless.

What can we, as His disciples, take from this for ourselves? There are as many messages from this Gospel as there are people here because our Lord speaks to us personally knowing our needs, our desires, our story of conversion, our journey of faith. Perhaps the message might be an examination of conscience. What is the reality of our, your and mine, discipleship? We gather here to praise our Lord, to seek mercy, to listen, to receive Him in Holy Communion because we believe. Yet, what does all this mean for our daily lives? What does the Lord we worship perceive in you, in me each day? Might He say,

“Your faith is like the morning dew, it comes and goes” or “truly you are my own so remain steadfast as My own.” What do we hear?What, in love and mercy, is the Lord saying in our hearts? But then, in all honesty, do you, do I want to hear? Will I/you take the time to hear?