“Who is this?... This is Jesus…”

Listening to the Spirit

Lord Jesus, send Your Spirit to help us to read the Scriptures with the same mind that You read them to the disciples on the way to Emmaus. In the light of the Word, written in the Bible, You helped them to discover the presence of God in the disturbing events of Your sentence and death. Thus, the cross that seemed to be the end of all hope became for them the source of life and of resurrection.

Create silence in us so that we may listen to Your voice in Creation and in the Scriptures, in events and in people, above all in the poor and suffering. May Your word guide us so that we too, like the two disciples on the way to Emmaus, may experience the force of Your resurrection and witness to others that You are alive in our midst as source of fraternity, justice, and peace. We ask this of You, Jesus, son of Mary, who revealed the Father to us and sent us Your Spirit. Amen.

Listening to the Word

Matthew 21:1-11

When Jesus and the disciples drew near Jerusalem and came to Bethphage on the Mount of Olives, Jesus sent two disciples, saying to them, “Go into the village opposite you, and immediately you will find an ass tethered,
and a colt with her. Untie them and bring them here to me. And if anyone should say anything to you, reply, ‘The master has need of them.’ Then he will send them at once.” This happened so that what had been spoken through the prophet might be fulfilled:
Say to daughter Zion,
“Behold, your king comes to you,
meek and riding on an ass,
and on a colt, the foal of a beast of burden.”
The disciples went and did as Jesus had ordered them. They brought the ass and the colt and laid their cloaks over them, and he sat upon them. The very large crowd spread their cloaks on the road, while others cut branches from the trees and strewed them on the road. The crowds preceding him and those following
kept crying out and saying: “Hosanna to the Son of David; blessed is the he who comes in the name of the Lord; hosanna in the highest.” And when he entered Jerusalem the whole city was shaken and asked, “Who is this?” And the crowds replied, “This is Jesus the prophet, from Nazareth in Galilee.”

Reflection

One of the most common word in our ears in the past days is lockdown. This and other words like this became familiar to all of us. One definition of lockdown is: a state of isolation or restricted access instituted as a security measure. This is the feeling of many all over the world.

In this context we will start the Holy Week 2020. While our feelings tell us to go out, we see Jesus as the gospel says: “he entered Jerusalem…” So many reflections are going around about this special Lenten Season of this year, because of this situation. In reality, we can grasp from all this event in the world how long is our journey to live the true religion. Taking in consideration that the meaning of religion comes from the Latin word, most probably from a prefixed re-ligare, i.e. re- (again) + ligare or "to reconnect".

There is no better time for us to reconnect. If we cannot take part physically on the usual and traditional celebration we are, as never happens before, called to reconnect with God, others and also to ourselves. Together with Jesus we are invited to enter this Jerusalem.

It will not be surprising for us, disciples, that there in our Jerusalem, is a place of the cross and the suffering, likewise, the starting of the new life of the resurrection. This is the time to enter, like Jesus. He didn’t lockdown himself there. He enters the city. He lived, died and came to life again.

So many advices for us in these days to keep busy the whole time. Maybe, trying to fill our time with many activities that make us lose the opportunity to reconnect. Perhaps, many are doing things not to enter the true reality around. Let us enter with Him and face this cross as He did.

As the days are passing by and people are looking at the disciples of today entering in this dark moment of history with the virtues of faith, hope and love for sure someone will ask: “Who is this?”. One of the memorable truth of this time will be the many saints – common people, health professionals, etc. – that today gave their lives in order to help and save others with the virtues mentioned above.

Definitely, the question – “Who is this?” – will come out. From there, the great miracle also will come about, seen the disciples reconnected with their God and all humanity.

The week is already Holy. Now is time for us to sanctify ourselves. To enter with Him in time and place where He presenst us. Taking with us the suffering of the world with His, we go in this situation with faith, hope and love. Then we will have no other answer for such question: “Who is this?” … “This is Jesus…”

Good and Holy week to all. Allow me to say one last word for these coming days: “It is a great thing that we are promised by the Lord for the future, but far greater is what has already been done for us, and which we now commemorate.” (St. Augustine)