“JESUS WHO IS PEACE GIVES YOU PEACE”
Saint Matthew 21: 1-9
Palmarum: 28 March Anno Domini 2021
Fr Jay Watson, SSP
“Drew nigh” i.e. came close, entered…salvation will always be from Jerusalem. Not from Judaism/Pharisaism, but from Salem, Shalom—Peace. Being saved from death, damnation, and the devil will be only be through the Peace that passes understanding: THE Peace of The Lord (Jesus) be with you alway!
The Son of God came nigh unto Jerusalem at His Nativity. He was heralded by angels as the Prince of Peace. Forty days after His birth he “rode” into the city of Peace on colt and ass, if you will, when the Blessed Virgin and Guardian carried Him. The Lamb of God coming to His Temple to bring it Peace in His own Body. It is always The God/Man coming to His people to bring them Himself—Peace. That Peace is not a signed declaration, a treaty, and not the cessation of physical attacks and daily trials (hunger, aging, broken bones, job losses, wayward children, mean bosses, the list is endless of sin in a sinful world), but no; The Peace which The Prince of Peace brings is His own Righteous Body, Blood, Essence, which He personally delivers by speaking kindly to you and then sharing Himself with you—in the most intimate way. You have been drawn here this morning, to this little Jerusalem, this colt, by The Holy Ghost. You have been selected and place in this crowd of Galilean pilgrims to the Feast of Passover, the retinue of The Lord’s greater disciples, and the “12” themselves, not because “it’s what is expected” for “Palm Sunday,” or because you are fulfilling the Law of the Third Commandment. You have been assembled by The Prince of Peace because you need more Peace.
The actual city, the capital of Judea, the place of High Priest Caiaphas and military governor Pilate, was a place of sin, shame, and servitude to Satan. The physical Jerusalem then, and now, is like everyplace inhabited by people, (every place), broken and decayed, rotting and rancid. Your own daily trespasses are terrible in their effect on you and your neighbor. You are miserable because you are self-centered, self-justifying, lying, cheating, weak-faithed rebels who show no mercy. He “rides” to you again this morning to bring you Mercy. He is lowly, meek, Mercy Incarnate. His Mercy is forgiveness, Holy Absolution. Again, not in a “thought,” an ethereal, gossamer, floating, emotional “it’s going to be okay, just you stick to the plan—do your part.” No. His Mercy, Forgiveness, Restoration, Redemption, is messy. It is wet, warm, salty, coppery, dirty, humiliating, painful, hell enduring. His Peace comes at a price. The Peace is in The Prince’s own suffering and death.
While your sinful nature daily takes you on a wide and gently sloping path away from Jerusalem/Jesus, He constantly speaks to you through your Baptism. His Law does get your attention. You do cry out “be not Thou far from me, O Lord; O my Strength haste Thee to help me.” He does. He is. The Christ saved you from the lion’s mouth by letting it maul, rip, shred, and bite down deep on Him—The blood drenched crucifix and Calvary—infinitely more precious and Peace producing than all the blood of the Holy Martyr’s shed on the killing ground of the Roman Colosseum. Messiah delivered you from the horns of the unicorn by letting Himself be delivered to the sinful murdering leaders of the Sanhedrin; betrayed, wrongfully convicted, and innocently murdered—unicorn horns being thrust through His sinless wrists, feet, Sacred Head, and immaculate heart. You are not forsaken. You will never be forsaken…because for you, He was “forsaken” of The Father when He bore your sin without being rescued.
David rode out of Jerusalem on an ass during Absalom’s rebellion. David was graced by The Lord to ride back into Jerusalem—typifying, foretelling and prophesying The Greater David’s entry even as Zechariah also prophesied. David had been anointed by Samuel with olive oil, sweet smelling, and soothing. The Son of David, and David’s Lord, was anointed with deep red blood that caked on His scalp and clouded His eyes and matted His beard.
For your sins of pompousness, arrogance, pride, hatred, and all the others Jesus rode on in majesty; the majesty of the cross and Him crucified.
Hosanna means both, “God save” in the sense of a triumphal cheer when a new king is crowned: “God save The King,” but also as a petition, a prayer, that The Lord would be with His anointed, that The Heavenly Father would be His only-begotten Son during the passion and lonely-painful death. Thus, Hosanna is a phrase of both joy and somber reflection at the great love, which does pass understanding, that The Christ shows for His flock. You are blessed because He who is Blessing Incarnate has blessed you in His words of forgiveness and in His most blessed and Holy Meal.
He brings you here up on high, though appearing lowly, like a colt, it is heaven on earth. Blessed is Jesus who now comes both in the + Name of The Lord, and as The Living Lord. Hosanna in the highest.
In the Name of the Father and + of the Son and of The Holy Ghost
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