Reflection on Mt 21,1-11; Is 50: 4-7; Fil
2.6-11; Mt 26,14-27,66
We are starting the
most important week for Christian communities. It is the week that brings the
central events of our faith together. It narrates with much symbolism and depth
the last moments of Jesus in his earthly existence and invite to silence and
contemplation. It is also an opportunity for us to review our whole journey of
commitment with the Lord and to be renewed by his example of faithfulness and
decision.
We are invited to
accompany Jesus who enters Jerusalem City victorious to complete his work of
love. In fact, he does not come on horseback with arrogance and with a mighty
army as the generals used to do when entering the cities, but he is mounted on
a donkey, full of kindness and mercy, as he has been during all his life. Jesus
is very aware of what is about to happen to him, but he does not let himself be
discouraged. On the contrary, he shows freedom of Son very loved and sent to
save the humanity. As we recall his solemn entry into the “City of peace”, we
also remember his passion and death in this city, which has the reputation of
acting violently against the messengers of God. Therefore, his death is not a
fatality, but the result of a prophetic mission lived with fidelity to the last
consequences.
As we know, the
prophet Isaiah presents four poems to speak about the identity and mission of
the People of God, who is also called “Servant of the Lord”. These poems were
composed during the exile in Babylon and we can find them in the second part of
the Book of Isaiah. The text we are using here is the ‘third poem’ and
according to this one, the Servant lives his vocation as a gift of God to give
new life to his brothers and sisters. Because of his faithfulness, he faces
many humiliations, rejection and suffering, but he does not become discouraged
because he feels himself accompanied and helped by God.
The Christians Communities
consider this Servant a figure of Jesus. According to Saint Paul, in his
identification with the human condition, Jesus accepts to be humiliated,
outraged and dead because of his fidelity to God. His filial trust in God is
the reason for his faithfulness. Through humiliation, he found the way to his
glorification. The way of humility, of small gestures, and the option for what
is most insignificant in the society are the authentic signs that identify
those who should continue his work over the world.
According to the
narration of Matthew, Jesus considers that his imprisonment, passion and death
would cause scandal to his disciples, because they still had the triumphalist
mentality of messiah. However, he completes the discourse - as usual - speaking
about the resurrection and the new meeting with them after this event in the
place from where everything began, that is, from Galilee. For Jesus there is no
expression of love greater than to give the life for the sake of the friends,
even when they run away (except some women and the beloved disciple in the John’s
version).
In his cry, “My God,
my God, why have you forsaken me?” He expressed the sorrow that he truly felt
as a human being, that is, the sorrow of abandonment, the sorrow of outrages,
the sorrow of humankind’s sins, etc. Then, when everything seemed to have been
done in vain, we have the great profession of faith from the mouth of those
less imagined, that is, the Roman centurion and his companions: “In truth this man was son of God.” Jesus was
eloquent even during his death.
Jesus was abandoned by
his friends, but he was not alone on the cross nor was alone also during his
mission. From his own words, we have this enthusiastic testimony: “He who sent
me is with me, and has not left me to myself, for I always do what pleases him”
(Jn 8:29). That is why the “cry” that Matthew places in the mouth of Jesus must
always be reflected in connection with his filial confidence expressed in Luke’s
version, for it happened throughout his life: “Father, into your hands I commit
my spirit” (Lk 23, 46). Otherwise, we would deny not only his intimate
communion with the Father but also the fidelity of this Father.
The mystery of the
passion and death of Jesus does not have the sorrow and suffering that he experienced
as first reference, but his great love to the last consequences. Death was not
an imposition, but a voluntary acceptance, that is, he accepted it freely.
Jesus was aware that he was doing the right thing and so his passion is the
beginning of his victory over death and sin, reviving all the hopes of the poor
and of all humanity.
The suffering of the
Son of God invites us to reflect on the harsh reality of human suffering. Just
as God responded with the resurrection before the death of the Son, we can
conclude that God does not want the suffering and the sorrow of the people. He
doesn’t feed himself of these things. He does not forsake those who suffer nor
is silent before their suffering. Christ made his own the sorrow of all people of
all the times by bringing them upon himself with his cross. He continues to
suffer in us when we experience sorrow and trials in our journey and tell us as
to the first disciples: “Rejoice and be glad...” (Mt 5, 12a). He suffers so
that we can experience joy.
So, there is sorrow
but it is redeemed. St. John Paul II said: “One cannot understand human sorrow,
except in the context of lost happiness; and there is no sense the sorrow,
except in view of a promised happiness.” The example of Christ motivates us to
be an effective presence in the lives of those who suffer more than we do. The
crosses of solidarity and compassion that we are called to carry every day as
he did, makes also our sacrifice a gesture of love as participation in his
passion for the salvation of all mankind.
Fr Ndega
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