Entry of Jesus into Jerusalem.

 

Entry of Jesus into Jerusalem. It is in Jesus Christ that we recognize the true Messiah-King, but not in the form of Israel, but as revealed on the cross. In the image of his entry into Jerusalem, he does not ride a horse, but a donkey, a sign that he did not come to fight politically. The war he has come to wage is against a more powerful enemy. He came to free men from the bonds of evil and make them free for God. He came to fight sin, so that humanity could participate in the true kingdom, the one who regards God as his Lord. Through his humiliation, being obedient to the point of death on a cross, overcome evil and give man a new condition of life.

Two logics are shown in this entry of Jesus: the way of thinking of the world, represented there by those who wanted to make Jesus a political king, and the logic according to the thinking of Jesus himself, who came in the condition of a servant and did not aspire to power. of domination. The fact is that, against him, the logic of the Jewish authorities, totally imbued with worldliness, prevailed. Well, when the time came, Jesus allowed himself to be arrested to fulfill the will of the Father. 2. Luke says that "the whole crowd" took Jesus to Pilate. Certainly the representative authorities of the people of God and many of them insufflated against the Innocent. Furthermore, the term "crowd" can also mean all sinners, for because of sin all mankind betrayed the Son of God, accusing him of false things. The Innocent was called subversive for forbidding the payment of tax to Caesar and for calling himself Messiah, King. This accusation was on the lips of the leaders who could not stand Jesus and had already declared him dead. Pilate, in turn, being a pagan, realized the innocence of Jesus, while the members of the "people of God" did not see innocence, but only the lies that they themselves fabricated and imposed on the "defendant". From a political point of view, Jesus was not a threat to Rome or to Pilate, for his kingdom does not conform to the logic of the world. Realizing that Pilate did not believe these accusations, they continued, claiming that Jesus was an agitator through his teachings in Galilee. So Pilate sends him to Herod, who interrogates him, but has no answer, because what he wanted was not true. Herod and his soldiers mock and despise Jesus and hand him back to Pilate, who has him scourged to satisfy the Jewish authorities and to put an end to that false judgment. Pilate's three attempts were insufficient. They really wanted the death of the Innocent and by crucifixion, because for them it was someone to be excommunicated, to be seen as cursed by God himself (Dt 21:23), so that no one would follow him. In their bloodlust and extreme inner blindness, these authorities touched the Truth by lying, the Innocent by the sinner, the Holy by the subversive and murderous, God by Caesar, their status as God's people by practical idolatry. Not resisting, Pilate, who was also a murderer and clinging to power, delivered the Innocent to the wild beasts to be crucified.

3. Humanity despised Jesus, spat on him, mocked him, mistreated him as much as they could, humiliated him to death, excommunicated him as a dangerous bandit, a tremendous disgrace, one cursed by God. Individually speaking, each human person has accomplished these things and continues to do so today. Despite this, many were converted along the way. Some women suffered, some disciples too, and certainly the Blessed Virgin, who felt for her innocent beloved son and for those who betrayed him. Mary's pain, in the face of this, is unspeakable, silent and testimonial. She, conceived without original sin through the merits of her son's cross, did not participate in this titanic humiliation, but suffered for her son and for the humanity that rejected him, when, on the other hand, that same humanity from him only received love. Alongside this lovely Mother, there were many other women who suffered and for whom Jesus showed his affection and attention, and made them realize a future of suffering. What they were doing to him, they will also do to those who are faithful to him. The world has never ceased to hatefully persecute Jesus Christ and his followers.

4. In front of the crucified man were the leaders who mocked and said: “He saved others, let him save himself, if he is the Christ of God, the Chosen One”. Such religious leaders, who should, above all, have welcomed the Messiah of God, since they had the keys to the knowledge of the Holy Scriptures, could interpret the Law and manifest Jesus to all Israel. Contrary to what they should have done, they were unbelievers, inhuman and unfaithful, as they exchanged the Savior of the world for Caesar. Everything they knew of the Word of God, they threw to the ground when they turned their faces against Jesus. By denying Him, they despised the Father, who, by the Holy Spirit, prepared them for the most important encounter with His Messiah. With them, then, begins the diabolical sequence to remove Jesus from the cross, to eliminate the Father's project in Jesus Christ.