Greetings, SBT Readers!

Jesus' entry into Jerusalem may seem like a moment of triumph, but, in reality, it manifests his humility. He enters not as a warrior but as a Bridegroom, not astride a warhorse but on a donkey, not surrounded by military might, but by a fickle crowd. He enters the holy city willingly, knowing the fate that awaits him there, that he will be mocked, scourged, and crucified. In Matthew's Gospel, we see him preaching, teaching, and healing right to the city gates; then, having shaken up the whole city with his presence, he makes his way to the Temple, there to disrupt the buying, selling, and money-changing. Though these are legal activities, yet they dishonor the House of God; quoting Isaiah 56:7, Jesus says, "My house shall be a house of prayer." Even as his Passion approaches, he focuses not on himself but on honoring God and serving others. The only glory he seeks is to do God's holy will...

Holy Week Blessings,

Elizabeth

LINK TO SCRIPTURE READINGS



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 going ahead of him and those following kept crying out, saying:

"Hosanna to the Son of David;

blessed is 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."

Matthew 21:1-11

The overwhelming question facing the "anti-hero" in T.S. Eliot's poem, "The Love Song of J. Alfred Prufrock," is nothing less than "Do I dare/ Disturb the universe?" Deeply insecure, indecisive, anxious about everything, and socially isolated, there is nothing about J. Alfred Prufrock that suggests he is capable of disturbing anyone, let alone the universe. Skinny-legged and balding, he is conscious of scrutinizing eyes that seem to pin him to the wall like an insect sprawling on a pin. He has measured out his life with coffee spoons, spitting out the butt-ends of his days in a fog of despair. He is Everyman without a purpose, ModernMan alienated from himself and from societal expectations. He is neither a prophet, nor John the Baptist, nor Lazarus returned from the dead, nor even Prince Hamlet-- and certainly not a Savior...

"Do I dare/ Disturb the universe?" Unlike J. Alfred Prufrock, Jesus caused disturbance from the moment of his conception. Certainly, Mary's life was turned upside-down by the Incarnation, as was her relationship with Joseph and the future they had planned together. Then, after the birth of the Holy Child, when the Magi entered Jerusalem seeking the newborn king, Herod was unnerved and "all Jerusalem with him" (Matt 2:3). What followed was a mini-Passion play, with the Holy Family fleeing to Egypt to protect the Child from the clutches of the wicked king. Fast forward to Jesus' ministry, and we find the Adult Christ challenging the status quo, taking on the religious establishment, exposing hypocrites, overturning mere conventions, keeping company with "undesirables," causing scandal by healing on the Sabbath, and preaching a radical change of heart. His words and actions were so controversial that even his family thought he was out of his mind! (Mk 3:31-35). Ultimately, Jesus was "too much" for his opponents, which is why he was crucified.

In his version of the Passion, Matthew points to two key moments when Jesus shook the foundations of the universe. The first occurred during Jesus' entry into Jerusalem: "And when he entered Jerusalem, the whole city was shaken and asked, 'Who is this?'" (Matt 21:10). The second was at the moment of Jesus' death when "the veil of the sanctuary was torn in two, from top to bottom. The earth quaked, rocks were split, tombs were opened, and the bodies of many saints who had fallen asleep were raised" (Matt 27:51-52). Then, in his account of the Resurrection, Matthew again uses the imagery of a cosmic event: "And behold, there was a great earthquake, for an angel of the Lord descended from heaven, approached, rolled back the stone, and sat upon it" (Matt 28:2). In living, dying and rising, Jesus evidently disrupted every assumption, expectation, and limitation-- even the laws of physics!

Do WE dare disturb the universe? As Christians, we are called to make a difference, to challenge unjust structures, befriend the vulnerable and sometimes take an unpopular stand that might cause divisions in our families, places of work, or in our communities; sometimes, there is a price to pay for discipleship-- but there is always a choice. We can disturb the universe like Jesus, or, like J. Alfred Prufrock, conclude that it would be better to be "a pair of ragged claws/ Scuttling across the floors of silent seas."

QUESTIONS FOR REFLECTION

• Which words, images, and phrases stand out the most for you from the texts for Palm Sunday?
• Why do you think that the Responsorial Psalm ends on a note of praise? (Ps 22)
• Why does Matthew refer to a donkey and a colt (Matt 21:1-11) while Mark 11 refers only to a colt?
• To what extent can you identify with the sleeping disciples in the Garden of Gethsemane?

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RESOURCES

Spiritual Self-Assessment:

https://assess.coach/eastewart/

Ministry Team Assessment:

https://assess.coach/embracingpossibility