PALM SUNDAY
The story of “Palm Sunday,” which commemorates Jesus’ triumphant entry into Jerusalem, is mentioned in all four Gospels. Here are the chapters where you can find it:
- Matthew 21:1–11
- Mark 11:1–11
- Luke 19:28–44
- John 12:12–19
The four gospels are surprisingly consistent in the details of reporting Jesus’ entrance into Jerusalem: the event we call “Palm Sunday.”
The donkey in the story served two purposes: first, to align the event with an Old Testament prediction and to symbolize that Christ as “king” is not a king of worldly power.
The Old Testament quote referenced in the Gospels during the Palm Sunday story is from Zechariah 9:9. It reads:
“Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion! Shout, O daughter of Jerusalem! Behold, thy King cometh unto thee: he is just, and having salvation; lowly, and riding upon an ass, and upon a colt the foal of an ass.”
As to the significance of the colt I suppose it is symbolic to being a “virgin” donkey, never having been ridden before, thus conveying purity (of intention).
In the gospel of John, it specifically references the miracle of Jesus’ raising Lazarus from the dead as a reason for the crowd being enthusiastic and eager to see this miracle worker, Jesus. As reported in my article yesterday, this miracle was the immediate trigger for the council of religious elders deciding to put Jesus to death, fearing the acclaim of the crowds and the retaliation of their Roman overlords. Thus, this miracle was at least partly the reason for the enthusiastic reception of Jesus into Jerusalem AND the reason for the hardened resolve of the elders to find a way to put Jesus to death.
And so it is with every soul that reaches a level of acclaimed sanctity: both a source of recognition and a source of punishment. I think of the twentieth century stigmatist, Padre Pio, to whom thousands were drawn for counsel and healings even while some of the hierarchy of the Catholic Church tried their best to silence and slander him. I am reminded of Yogananda’s statement: “The soul LOVES to meditate but the ego HATES to meditate.
Sanctity is a threat to the powers of darkness (delusion and ego) and an object of praise and reverence to the angels of Light. As a modern cliché puts it: “No good deed goes unpunished.”
As Jesus is quoted in the Sermon on the Mount in the gospel of Matthew, chapter 5:
10 Blessed are they which are persecuted for righteousness ‘sake: for theirs is the kingdom of heaven.
11 Blessed are ye, when men shall revile you, and persecute you, and shall say all manner of evil against you falsely, for my sake.
12 Rejoice and be exceeding glad: for great is your reward in heaven: for so persecuted they the prophets which were before you.
Paramhansa Yogananda put it another way: “Praise cannot make me better nor blame make me worse.”
Thus, as commented upon yesterday, it takes courage to stand up and shine with righteousness in word and deed. Friends and relatives would too often prefer you to fall into substance addiction than to take up the spiritual life in earnest, lest your doing so reflect poorly upon their own life choices.
Beware, too, of praise for your good deeds lest pride go before the inevitable fall from grace that later comes to balance the scales. There’s a story from India that when a saint was informed of the death of a man who was skeptical and critical of the saint’s sanctity, the saint cried aloud sadly: “My best friend has died.”
In a deeply moving song written by Swami Kriyananda in the “Oratorio: Christ Lives,” the lyrics ask us if in the acclaim of Palm Sunday can we hear a disturbing note. For only days later, according to the gospel narrative, Jesus was betrayed and condemned to the shouts of “Crucify him” from another crowd.
Fame and approval are fickle and can never be taken seriously. When receiving blame we should at least introspect lest we miss an opportunity to learn and grow even if its testimony is equally fickle and unreliable. Swami Kriyananda would comment on this saying, “Most people are wrong in their opinions most of the time. Don’t take praise or blame too seriously.” I would add that most opinions arise from the opinions of others either without discernment or wanting to fit in (or both).
In the gospel of John, Jesus’ driving out the money changers from the temple comes on the same day and soon after his grand entrance into Jerusalem. In another gospel it takes place much earlier in Jesus’ public life. If John’s account is the more accurate, it serves as a fitting balance to the “Hosanna in the highest, blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord.” It symbolizes the courage and strength of will that is needed to win the soul’s glory. It is the counterpoint to the humble donkey symbolism. The Christian lyric, “Jesus meek and mild” is betrayed by the scene with the money changers.
There are times when standing up against wrongdoing is the right thing to do spiritually. Paramhansa Yogananda in a speech called out the names of industrialists during the Depression in America of the 1930’s for their greed and lack of compassion. After the public speech he was cautioned not to go back to his hotel alone. He did so anyway but on his way, he was approached by a gunman sent to kill him. By the power of divine love emanating from the eyes of the master, the gunman trembled and could not carry out his task. Dropping his gun, he ran away.
Tales from India warn devotees that advancement on the spiritual path gives rise to certain “powers” the abuse of which can cause one’s spiritual if temporary downfall. Because we are souls made in the image of God, such powers “belong” to us. Unlike name, fame, and riches, only by our action can the powers of the soul over all nature be lost. No one can take our birthright away except ourselves.
Sadly, those who hailed Jesus as their king sought only worldly gifts such as freedom from Roman occupation and even perhaps restoration of their religion, rather than soul liberation. Such too is the story all too often of devotees east and west who expect God or guru (or adherence to spiritual practices and virtues) to fill the coffers of their lives with comfort and success. The “prosperity gospel” teaches that obedience to the law of God brings His favor in the form of health, wealth and reputation. But as Patanjali in the Yoga Sutras notes, “Missing the point (of the spiritual path)” is one of the many obstacles on the road to freedom. The way to freedom is “narrow and straight” as Jesu put it!
Hosanna to the highest. Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord!”
Nayaswami Hriman