“Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! Blessed is the kingdom of our father David that is to come! Hosanna in the highest!” – Mark 11:9-10
Imagine yourself going to a professional sporting event, such as a football game. As you walk into the stadium with your friends, people swarm all around you. There is a buzz in the air as thousands of fans settle into their seats. You scan across the sea of people, all sporting your team’s colors. Excitement pulses through the crowd as the start of the game approaches. Suddenly, the announcer’s voice can be heard over the loudspeaker, “Now for your starting line-up!”
The crowd roars in anticipation and epic music booms across the stadium. One player after another runs onto the field as his name is called, and the fans applaud. Finally, it’s the star player’s turn, and the crowd quiets to a hush. The stadium lights are dimmed as his highlight reel flashes across the big screen. His name is called and the crowd erupts as he jaunts onto the field to lead the team into battle.
I envision the crowd in Jerusalem reacting with a similar frenzy to Jesus’ entry into the city for Passover on that triumphant day long ago. They greeted Him as their King and Messiah with shouts of joy. They waved palm branches and threw their cloaks down before His feet, ready to cheer Him on to victory.
But, once the contest began, many of them proved only to be fair-weather fans. Even some of His most die-hard followers abandoned Him when things started to look bleak. One betrayed Him. One flat-out denied Him. Others ran away in fear. Only Mary His Mother, Mary the wife of Clopas, Mary Magdalene, and John remained with Him until the end, hoping against hope.
We are called to do the same. So, what will you do when evil seems to have the upper hand? Will you run away, or will you follow Him to the Cross?
Let us find strength in the words of Saint Andrew of Crete, who urges us to:
Run to accompany [Christ] as he hastens toward his passion, and imitate those who met him then, not by covering his path with garments, olive branches or palms, but by doing all we can to prostrate ourselves before him by being humble and by trying to live as he would wish. Then we shall be able to receive the Word at his coming, and God, whom no limits can contain, will be within us. (Oratio 9)
During this Holy Week stay close by His side at the foot of the Cross and hold onto hope, because He hangs there for you, and love is stronger than death.
We adore You, O Christ, and bless You, because by Your Holy Cross You have redeemed the world. Amen.
