WHICH KING WILL WE FOLLOW

WHICH KING WILL WE FOLLOW Fr. Luke A Veronis "Hosanna! Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord, the King of Israel!" "Fear not, daughter of Zion; behold, your King is coming, sitting on a donkey's colt."   In an ancient empire, there were two parades happening in the same city.The first parade was grand. Trumpets blared. Soldiers in shining armor marched with perfect precision. The general rode a massive warhorse, high above the crowd. People cheered, waving the empire’s banners. This was a parade of conquest, a parade of national pride, a celebration of power and dominance over their enemies.Everyone assumed this was what kingship looked like. They loved the power, the fame, the worldly glory. This is what it meant to be a king! Some days later, a second parade took place. There were no trumpets. No soldiers. No earthly king. Just a man riding on a donkey. People didn’t wave imperial flags. Instead, they waved palm branches, as symbols of peace and hope. They didn’t cheer for a victory won in war. They cried, “Hosanna! Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord” with hopes that this man would become the King of Israel who would lead them in victory over their enemies. Yet, this man bore no sword. He didn’t organize an army. He never taught or believed in violence. He didn’t proclaim a national agenda. He was the antithesis of any earthly king. He came proclaiming divine love for all people and eternal truth that would set everyone free. One parade was loud, imposing, and brash. It played to the passions and desires of the world. The other was humble, simple, and almost foolish in the eyes of the powerful. It represented something not of this world. There have been many earthly, military parades throughout history that have displayed the power of particular nations. Yet, these nations, empires and kings come and go, and all are eventually forgotten. Only one parade in Jerusalem 2000 years ago changed history forever. It revealed the Eternal King, the One “who is, who was and who is to come, the Lord Almighty.” His kingdom has no end and continues into eternity. This is the One we celebrate and the parade we participate in today! Today we take part in a strange kind of royal procession. No war horses. No golden chariots. No trumpet blasts. No parade showing off our military power. No displays of earthly domination and glory. Instead, we celebrate a humble itinerant preacher, riding a young donkey, moving toward what he knew would be His Passion and Death. The crowds cry out with Messianic joy and anticipation: "Hosanna! Blessed is the King of Israel!" He will make our nation great again! Yet, they are welcoming a King they do not understand and One who they will ultimately reject because they don’t want to follow His path of glory. St. Andrew of Crete beautifully summarized this day: “Jesus comes not in pomp or grandeur, but in humility, riding on a colt. He comes as the meek One, to save those who cry to Him, not to terrify or instill fear into his enemies." This is the true glory of Jesus Christ and the path He invites us all to follow. He conquers not by force, but by sacrificial love. His path is not one of arrogance, but of humility. He is not creating a national religion where He is the King of one exceptional nation, but He is the Lord of all people inviting everyone throughout the world to become a part of His family. He chooses to wear not a crown of jewels to show off His wealth but accepts a crown of thorns to reveal His love. He holds not a scepter of iron, but the Cross—an instrument of torture He transforms into a symbol of salvation. St. Cyril of Alexandria contrasts Christ's entrance with worldly rulers: "Jesus enters Jerusalem seated on a beast of burden, a young donkey - not on a chariot of war - so that He might show how He rules not by forced might and violence but by peace and grace." And this is the King who invites us to follow Him. -      A King who gladly kneels to wash the feet of his disciples and teaches us to imitate such acts of humble service. -      A King who eats the Passover meal with one friend He knows will betray him, and another friend whom he warns will deny even knowing him that very night, yet He still shares an intimate meal with both of them. -      A King who knows he will be abandoned by His own people and rejected by the very religious leaders who have been waiting for their Messiah, yet He still prays for them and in His last moments of life even forgives the very ones crucifying and killing him. -      A King who enters the city not to overthrow the enemy and create a powerful new nation, but who humbly offers Himself as a sacrifice, as a ransom for the entire world, taking the sins and transgressions of this fallen world upon Himself The King of Palm Sunday is the antithesis of the kings and powerful leaders of this world. And He reminds us that if we choose to follow Him, we are choosing to follow a counter-cultural path, to walk a road that may seem confusing and even foolish to society. What do we dream about for our lives? Do we dream of fame and power, strength and dominance, worldly riches and earthly glory? Or will we be open to discover the eternal joy that comes in following the One who chooses meekness and humility, who accepts sacrifice and suffering, who reveals Divine Love as the highest virtue and quality that one can acquire in life? St. Gregory the Theologian writes: "The One who is rich becomes poor for our sake; He rides not in a chariot, but on a donkey—not to show weakness, but to reveal the path of humility." This is the way of life. Some may be confused with this path. Some will ridicule and reject following such a King. The proud will overlook Him. Others will try to change Jesus into something they feel more comfortable with, into someone they want Him to be, into an image of themselves. Yet, those who truly follow Jesus as their King will recognize His face in the lowly and in the marginalized, will see His image in the least of our brothers and sisters, will make Divine Love and Mercy and Compassion the central characteristics of life. They are the ones who will participate in His Eternal Kingdom. As we begin Holy Week tonight, journeying each night with the Lord through His Passion and to His Resurrection, we will hear clearly the path that we are called to follow. It is a life of self-giving and sacrifice, of vigilance in humility, of obedience and placing His Will above our own, of service and love. We will walk beside our King - not in earthly triumph, but toward a mysterious and confusing Cross. Yet, we learn that whenever we carry whatever cross life brings us, we realize that through this Cross joy comes into the world. It is only through the Cross that we can experience the Resurrection! "Jesus came down to us in humility,” Saint Ephraim the Syrian reminds us, “so that we might ascend with Him in glory. Christ made Himself small, so that He might make each of us great." Today on Palm Sunday, let us wave our palm branches as we understand what King we welcome into our lives. This is the King that will not lead us to earthly victory. He is not a nationalistic king who wants to make our country great again over other countries. He is the King that will lead us to spiritual victory over our pride, our sins, our brokenness, and our deepest fears. Let us honor the King who will be Crucified yet will rise from the dead and grant eternal life to all who follow Him. To Him be glory and dominion, with the Father and the Holy Spirit, now and ever and unto the ages of ages. Amen.