Who Might We Be?

Prayer-Soldier · Posted: Sun Mar 25, 2018 8:51 pm Post subject: Who Might We Be?

Who Might We Be?

Scripture:

And when they were drawing near to Jerusalem and to Bethania at the mount of Olives, he sends two of his disciples, and said to them: Go into the village that is over against you, and immediately at your coming in thither, you shall find a colt tied, upon which no man yet has sat: loose him, and bring him. And if any man shall say to you, What are you doing? say that the Lord has need of him: and immediately he will let him come hither. And going their way, they found the colt tied before the gate without, in the meeting of two ways: and they loose him. And some of them that stood there, said to them: What do you, loosing the colt?

Who said to them as Jesus had commanded them; and they let him go with them. And they brought the colt to Jesus; and they lay their garments on him, and he sat upon him. And many spread their garments in the way: and others cut down boughs from the trees, and strewed them in the way. And they that went before and they that followed, cried, saying: Hosanna, blessed is he that comes in the name of the Lord. Blessed be the kingdom of our father David that comes: Hosanna in the highest.
(Mark 11:1-10)

The Lord has given me a learned tongue, that I should know how to uphold by word him that is weary: he wakens in the morning, in the morning he wakens my ear, that I may hear him as a master. The Lord God has opened my ear, and I do not resist: I have not gone back. I have given my body to the strikers, and my cheeks to them that plucked them: I have not turned away my face from them that rebuked me, and spit upon me. The Lord God is my helper, therefore am I not confounded: therefore have I set my face as a most hard rock, and I know that I shall not be confounded.
(Isaiah 50:4-7)

Who being in the form of God, thought it not robbery to be equal with God: But emptied himself, taking the form of a servant, being made in the likeness of men, and in habit found as a man. He humbled himself, becoming obedient unto death, even to the death of the cross. For which cause God also has exalted him, and has given him a name which is above all names: That in the name of Jesus every knee should bow, of those that are in heaven, on earth, and under the earth: And that every tongue should confess that the Lord Jesus Christ is in the glory of God the Father.
(Philippians 2:6-11)

And straightway in the morning, the chief priests holding a consultation with the ancients and the scribes and the whole council, binding Jesus, led him away, and delivered him to Pilate. And Pilate asked him: Are you the king of the Jews? But he answering, said to him: You say it. And the chief priests accused him in many things. And Pilate again asked him, saying: Answer you nothing? Behold in how many things they accuse you. But Jesus still answered nothing; so that Pilate wondered.

Now on the festival day he was want to release unto them one of the prisoners, whomsoever they demanded. And there was one called Barabbas, who was put in prison with some seditious men, who in the sedition had committed murder. And when the multitude was come up, they began to desire that he would do, as he had ever done unto them. And Pilate answered them, and said: Will you that I release to you the king of the Jews? For he knew that the chief priests had delivered him up out of envy.

But the chief priests moved the people, that he should rather release Barabbas to them. And Pilate again answering, said to them: What will you then that I do to the king of the Jews? But they again cried out: Crucify him. And Pilate said to them: Why, what evil has he done? But they cried out the more: Crucify him. And so Pilate being willing to satisfy the people, released to them Barabbas, and delivered up Jesus, when he had scourged him, to be crucified.

And the soldiers led him away into the court of the palace, and they called together the whole band: And they clothe him with purple, and platting a crown of thorns, they put it upon him. And they began to salute him: Hail, king of the Jews. And they struck his head with a reed: and they did spit on him. And bowing their knees, they adored him. And after they had mocked him, they took off the purple from him, and put his own garments on him, and they led him out to crucify him.

And they forced one Simon a Cyrenian who passed by, coming out of the country, the father of Alexander and of Rufus, to take up his cross. And they bring him into the place called Golgotha, which being interpreted is, The place of Calvary. And they gave him to drink wine mingled with myrrh; but he took it not. And crucifying him, they divided his garments, casting lots upon them, what every man should take. And it was the third hour, and they crucified him.

The third hour: The ancient account divided the day into four parts, which were named from the hour from which they began; the first, third, sixth, and ninth hour. Our Lord was crucified a little before noon; before the third hour had quite expired; but when the sixth hour was near at hand.

And the inscription of his cause was written over: THE KING OF THE JEWS. And with him they crucify two thieves; the one on his right hand, and the other on his left. And the scripture was fulfilled, which said: And with the wicked he was reputed. And they that passed by blasphemed him, wagging their heads, and saying: Vah, you that destroys the temple of God, and in three days builds it up again; Save yourself, coming down from the cross.

In like manner also the chief priests mocking, said with the scribes one to another: He saved others; himself he cannot save. Let Christ the king of Israel come down now from the cross, that we may see and believe. And they that were crucified with him reviled him. And when the sixth hour was come, there was darkness over the whole earth until the ninth hour. And at the ninth hour, Jesus cried out with a loud voice, saying: Eloi, Eloi, lamma sabacthani? Which is, being interpreted, My God, my God, why have you forsaken me? And some of the standers by hearing, said: Behold he calls Elias.

And one running and filling a sponge with vinegar, and putting it upon a reed, gave him to drink, saying: Stay, let us see if Elias come to take him down. And Jesus having cried out with a loud voice, gave up the ghost. And the veil of the temple was rent in two, from the top to the bottom. And the centurion who stood over against him, seeing that crying out in this manner he had given up the ghost, said: Indeed this man was the son of God.
(Mark 15:1-39)

Reflection:

The Word made flesh came to them, sent by the One who created them. With love He created them so that they might return that love as well as share love with one another. (Matthew 22:36-40) As Jesus rode into the city, the people received Him with honor and glory. They paved the way for Him with their garments and palms. They cheered and rejoiced at His coming. For a moment, all was as He intended; those present, sharing in the blessings of love; love for their King and love for one another as they rejoiced in the presence of their King; the King of kings and Lord of lords. (Revelation 17:14; 19:16)

Only for a short time did the celebration last, then, those who sought power before they sought God began to put in motion their plots and schemes to remove the King they did not know and did not comprehend. What was celebrated with loving hearts in the streets was lost to the ones who were blind to the Word. (John 9:40-41) They did not know who was before them. They considered not His works or the compassion and love by which He performed His miracles.

As we reflect upon the moment, we must ask ourselves, who would we be? If the Son of God rode into our city or town, would we be among those who recognized who He was? Would we marvel at what He did? Would we comprehend what He taught? Would we rejoice at the opportunity to be in His presence? Would we follow Him or would we follow the pressure of those who set themselves above us and as judges against us?

As we reflect on how we might experience the moment, we must ask ourselves, how would we recognize Him? How would we understand the example of His works? How would we comprehend the truth of His Word? How would we know that the One who walked among us is truly the Word made flesh? (John 1:1-18, Matthew 16:17) If we do not understand this, we will not be prepared to explain for the blessings of another so they too might hear, so they too might see.

There are those among us who recognize their King, not by His appearance, but by His love. What greater love might we expect than for the One who is all powerful to walk among us in the same form of our weakness, teaching us with compassion and caring as to the meaning of His Word of love, living as an example of that love and laying down His life for us so we might know the fullness of His love. (John 15:13) If we understand this love, if we comprehend its blessings, how could we ever choose to turn away from it?

The people had a choice of who might be released to them from those who were imprisoned. They had the choice of a Man of life and a man of death. They chose the man of death for it reflected the culture to which they had strayed. In their choice they cheered with misguided hearts, but it was not enough for them, for in their fervor, they also chose death for the Man of life; the One who walked among them, healing and teaching the blessings of love; for life and love was not their desire and their emotions they allowed to be manipulated by political minds.

We might wonder, if we were among those who mocked and jeered, but then, witnessed and realized the injustice carried out before us; what would we do? If we, just as the centurion observed, comprehended how our emotion contributed to such a grave injustice, how would it affect us? Would we ask for forgiveness? Would we endeavor to atone for our contribution to the inequity?

From upon the cross, the Son of God prayed to the Father and said, ?Father, forgive them, for they know not what they do.? (Luke 23:34) What is this example, which was witnessed and heard by those present, if it is not an example of courage and strength; the courage and strength of love? What if the world lived by this example?

Indeed, what if we allowed all the qualities of love to be our guide, the leader of our day, the motivation of our work? What if we were to join hands together to encourage one another, not in the ways of the darkness, but the ways of His light, the ways of the Word made flesh? Let us, then, begin our days with the desire to follow the example of the One sent to teach us, for if we believe in Him, then, we must believe the Word He brought to us; the Word of God, the Word of eternal love.

Questions for further reflection:

What do we understand of His Word and how might we share its blessings with those who surround us?

What are we to learn from the example of the Word made flesh?

In what ways are we like those who rejoiced at the coming of their Lord and in what ways are we like those who mocked Him?

May the peace and blessings of the Lord be with you always,
Prayer Soldier