Sunday, April 4, 2004
Fish, Wine, & Oil (Daylight Savings)
Palm Sunday
3rd Vespers (Palm Sun): Zechariah 9:9-15 Epistle: Philippians 4:4-9 Gospel: St. John 12:1-18
Zechariah 9:9-15 LXX, especially vs. 9: "Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion; proclaim it aloud, O daughter
of Jerusalem; behold the King is coming to thee, just and as a Savior; He is meek and riding on an ass, and a young foal."
This exhortation of the Prophet is repeated in the words of the Church's Liturgy for the Lord's Entrance into Jerusalem:
"Feast thou, carrying branches in thy hands, and praise Him, singing, Hosanna in the highest. Blessed is He that cometh,
King of Israel." And this same message, to "rejoice in Him," appears throughout the prophecies of the Old Testament
whenever reference is made to Christ, the Anointed Messiah (cf.: Ps. 2:11 LXX; Ps. 34:9 LXX; Is. 9:3; Zeph. 3:14).
Zechariah reveals the reasons for this rejoicing by describing the King Who will come. His portrait perfectly matches the
Lord Jesus. Thus, Christ Jesus is a just ruler, the true Savior, meekness Incarnate, and the Author of salvation. In His
Kingdom, implements of war will be destroyed, prosperity shall abound, captives will be freed, and worldly wisdom will be
defeated.
First, then, let us consider the King Himself, Christ our God. Above all, He is righteous, equitable in His all judgments,
able to discern the inner thoughts of all (Mk. 12:43,44). Recall His perception of the treachery of Judas (Lk. 22:21), of
Peter's capacity to love and serve despite moments of weakness (Jn. 21:17), or of Thomas' ability to overcome doubts (Jn.
20:27). At the same time, He is the King Who will gather all nations "before Him, and He will separate them one from
another, as a shepherd divides his sheep from the goats" (Mt. 25:32).
In joining Himself eternally to our humanity, the Lord Jesus manifests perfect meekness, a virtue to which He calls His
servants, promising them that "they shall inherit the earth" (Mt. 5:5). With all power available to Him to shape any
moment, He stood mute and meek before His accusers and submitted to the power of the Roman Imperial government (Mt.
27:13,14).
Supremely, the Lord Jesus is salvation. Jesus was born to be the Savior as the Gospel teaches us (Mt. 1:21). Furthermore,
we are saved from wrath by His blood and reconciled by His indestructible risen life (Rom. 5:9-10). He Himself declares,
"I Am the way, the truth, and the life: no man cometh unto the Father, but by Me" (Jn. 14:6). Still, He came into time,
space, and the limitations of our life that He might raise us to unbounded, Eternal Life with Him. "For God so loved the
world that He gave His only begotten Son, that whoever believes in Him should not perish but have everlasting life. God
did not send His Son into the world to condemn the world, but that the world through Him might be saved" (Jn. 3:16-17).
In the present description of Christ's reign, the Prophet Zechariah describes the Kingdom of God in the age to come, an
eternal Dominion that already is influencing the present world order within time. The Lord's Kingdom is at work in the
hearts and souls of the Faithful within whom He reigns and through whom His presence in this world is felt and perceived.
However, let our rejoicing be modest, for the Lord warns us: "Do not think that I came to bring peace on earth. I did not
come to bring peace but a sword" (Mt. 10:34). Only in the end shall He "command peace to the nations" (Zech. 9:10).
Still, the Holy Spirit of the Lord is now at work. Therefore, there are times when the weapons of war are destroyed (vs.10),
the wealth of this world is shared with those in need (vs. 12), men and women captive to sin are set free (vs. 11), and the
modern day sons of the Greek Philosophers (vs. 13), purveyors of worldly wisdom, are confounded by the power of God to
heal and restore lives. Rejoice People of God!
Upborne upon the heavenly throne, and seated upon the earthly foal, O Christ our God, receive the praise of angels and
our hymns as we exclaim, Blessed is the King Who comes!