Every Palm Sunday reminds us of a surprise or amazement Jesus of Nazareth brought, through His ceremonial journey to Jerusalem temple!
It was at this temple Jesus stayed back at the age of 12 years, to engage in conversation with the religious leaders, while His parents returned home after the festivity of Passover. Jesus had 'amazed all who heard Him at His understanding and answers'. They had to come back after three day's journey searching for Him. The reason Jesus gave His mother for staying back was, " Why is that you were looking of rme? Did you not know that I had to be in My Father's house?" ( Luke 2:49).
In this narration of this incident in St Luke's gospel, there are three mysterious experiences that surfaced in my mind.
According to the custom of the feast, Jesus went with his parents to the passover feast in Jerusalem. He followed the tradition as presented to Him. The tradition was a door way for Jesus to the temple where in the inner court there was sacred teachings. He moved from the outer court where there was festivity and merchandise to the inner court which was the place to meet with God which He longed for.
The boy Jesus stayed back, while His parents returned after spending the 'full number of days' at the festival. Jesus found the 'fullness' not in the festivity of the occasion but being in the temple court 'sitting in the midst of the teachers listening to them and asking them questions'. He was already prudent and wise to choose to be in the inner sanctorum where He was seeking God and His teachings. His childhood with His parents till then was a preparatory season for Him to discern the ways of God in His life. He was already in the habit of being present to God because of which He was insightful to be in temple to long after God! Others favoured festivity of the occasion and Jesus chose the sacred experience of the occasion!
When His parents returned to find Him, 'He went down with them, and came to Nazareth and He continued in subjection to them..' Jesus journeyed from the 'inner' court to the outer court of daly happenings. This is the way of living that is sacramental. From the experience of inner encounter with God, we are enabled to live in the common place of daily happenings ! Jesus in remaining subject to His parents was receiving the tutorial for His life ahead, where daily events made Him to be ready for His public life. Later in His public life, He even walked in to the storm of the sea and saved His disciples and their boat from the storm and raging waters (Mark 6:45-52).
Later in His early thirties, Jesus rode on a donkey to Jerusalem, which is what is remembered today as the Palm Sunday. He was riding into a storm at Jerusalem, where He was finally crucified! That was the 'justice' of the natural law of that time. Neither the sealed tomb where He was buried could contain Him nor the watchmen outside could stop the earthquake (Matthew 28:2) that preceded to break open the tomb for Jesus to rise again.
Life is lived in such a state of mystery experiences because, God of our life is making Himself known to people for them to live in hope and faith!
Jesus began His Palm Sunday journey to Jerusalem inwardly, on his visit to the temple at 12 years of age. Jesus knew that 'He had to be in His Father's house' for which He prepared till He was in the early thirties. On Palm Sunday, Jesus encountered merchandise in His Father's house instead of worship and prayer. He could walk into the storm of 'cleansing the temple' because He was readying Himself for this encounter for over a decade!
I slipped into a storm nine years ago, while involved in the governing board of an organisation, the ripple effect of it was a difficult experience to endure. Yet during the process of multiple occasions of revisiting it, a new consciousness has come to stay in my orientation to life and living. Those with whom I felt estranged following the storm are also those whom God loves and cares for! What a difference this awareness made in the recent two years since that consciousness dawned on me ! This was a journey in to the eye of the storm, which became a new consciousness!
A Lily plant normally has four flowers. It can give even six flowers! This is the mystery that I feel drawn by on this Palm Sunday. The past or the norms or patterns thus far, reveal the evidences of realities in existence. The mystery too is in existence, which is well beyond what is known or can be known!
The passage in I Corinthians 2:9, is a testimony to this mystery: "What no eye has seen, no ear heard, and no human heart has conceived-God has prepared for those who love Him"!
The Palm Sunday symbolises a journey into our inner sanctuary to experience the mystery of God's presence and purpose!
The festivity is only a door to this inner journey of "knowing God and being Known of Him" (Galatians 4:9) !
M.C.Mathew(text and photo)
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