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Holy Week 2021
4 years ago
Palm Sunday and Holy Week, 2021
"And when he had entered Jerusalem, the entire city was shaken, saying, 'Who is this man?'"
Most are, I suppose, familiar with palm Sunday, commemorating Jesus' triumphal entry into Jerusalem, though not perhaps every detail. For instance, this comes right on the hells of His raising Lazarus, which infuriating the Pharisees and Sadducees of the Sanhedrin, who refused to believe the miracle, blaming the credulity of the ignorant mob, and planning to kill both Jesus and Lazarus to put an end to the madness.
Or the voice that St. John records coming from Heaven, which the people heard -- though seemingly did not understand -- regarding it as thunder or an angel.
At any rate, this is Jesus' due; as rightful heir to the earthly throne of Israel, as head of the human race, and as God Incarnate. But, presuming it is true that riding a donkey symbolised peace, it is a singular tragedy that nobody noticed it at the time. For everybody expected Jesus to begin an insurrection, drive out the Romans, and proceed to conquer the world -- or, in the case of the elite, begin an insurrection which the Romans would crush and wipe out the Jews in the process.
But, as Jesus explains repeatedly, that is not His plan. His goal is to bring God to men, and men to God, healing the rift between heaven and earth. Not only can violence not accomplish that, the political world as a whole has nothing to do with it -- the best that princes and presidents, senates and parliaments can do is get out of the way. What a pity it took Christians so very long to learn that -- nay, some have yet to learn it.
This is also the first day of Holy Week, the crisis of world history in the Christian view. God fights Satan, "prince of the world" due to men turning their back on love, and the forces of evil seem to prevail at first through the use of violence, but love prevails in the end as it is stronger than death. The week has a number of observances to commemorate different points in the struggle:
- Spy Wednesday: Commemorating the anointing of Jesus by Mary (presumed to be Mary Magdalen) while Judas Iscariot agrees to hand him voer to the Sanhedrin
- Maundy Thursday: Commemorating the Last Supper, the institution of the Eucharist; the name is a corruption of mandatum, the Latin for "command(ment)," from Jesus" reiteration of the need for love and gracious care impelled by love.
- Good Friday: The paradox of Christianity, the death of God and the triumph of Christ, remembering with mourning, and knowing that all mourning will end.
- Holy Saturday: A day of reflection, as the tragedy has played out and we wait for what Tolkien termed the eucatastrophe -- the unexpected stroke that turns despair into hope and anguish into passionate joy.
"And when he had entered Jerusalem, the entire city was shaken, saying, 'Who is this man?'"
Most are, I suppose, familiar with palm Sunday, commemorating Jesus' triumphal entry into Jerusalem, though not perhaps every detail. For instance, this comes right on the hells of His raising Lazarus, which infuriating the Pharisees and Sadducees of the Sanhedrin, who refused to believe the miracle, blaming the credulity of the ignorant mob, and planning to kill both Jesus and Lazarus to put an end to the madness.
Or the voice that St. John records coming from Heaven, which the people heard -- though seemingly did not understand -- regarding it as thunder or an angel.
At any rate, this is Jesus' due; as rightful heir to the earthly throne of Israel, as head of the human race, and as God Incarnate. But, presuming it is true that riding a donkey symbolised peace, it is a singular tragedy that nobody noticed it at the time. For everybody expected Jesus to begin an insurrection, drive out the Romans, and proceed to conquer the world -- or, in the case of the elite, begin an insurrection which the Romans would crush and wipe out the Jews in the process.
But, as Jesus explains repeatedly, that is not His plan. His goal is to bring God to men, and men to God, healing the rift between heaven and earth. Not only can violence not accomplish that, the political world as a whole has nothing to do with it -- the best that princes and presidents, senates and parliaments can do is get out of the way. What a pity it took Christians so very long to learn that -- nay, some have yet to learn it.
This is also the first day of Holy Week, the crisis of world history in the Christian view. God fights Satan, "prince of the world" due to men turning their back on love, and the forces of evil seem to prevail at first through the use of violence, but love prevails in the end as it is stronger than death. The week has a number of observances to commemorate different points in the struggle:
- Spy Wednesday: Commemorating the anointing of Jesus by Mary (presumed to be Mary Magdalen) while Judas Iscariot agrees to hand him voer to the Sanhedrin
- Maundy Thursday: Commemorating the Last Supper, the institution of the Eucharist; the name is a corruption of mandatum, the Latin for "command(ment)," from Jesus" reiteration of the need for love and gracious care impelled by love.
- Good Friday: The paradox of Christianity, the death of God and the triumph of Christ, remembering with mourning, and knowing that all mourning will end.
- Holy Saturday: A day of reflection, as the tragedy has played out and we wait for what Tolkien termed the eucatastrophe -- the unexpected stroke that turns despair into hope and anguish into passionate joy.
