They Proclaimed; The Hour Came

Palm Sunday of the Lord’s Passion

They proclaimed: “Blessed is the king who comes in the name of the Lord. Peace in heaven and glory in the highest.” Some of the Pharisees in the crowd said to him, “Teacher, rebuke your disciples.” He said in reply, “I tell you, if they keep silent, the stones will cry out!” Luke 19:38-40

Christ Jesus, though he was in the form of God, did not regard equality with God something to be grasped. Rather, he emptied himself, taking the form of a slave, coming in human likeness; and found human in appearance, he humbled himself, becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross.  Philippians 2:6-8

When the hour came, he took his place at table with the apostles. Luke 22:14

Piety

It was now about noon and darkness came over the whole land until three in the afternoon because of an eclipse of the sun. Then the veil of the temple was torn down the middle. Jesus cried out in a loud voice, “Father, into your hands I commend my spirit”; and when he had said this he breathed his last.  Luke 23:44-46

Study

Many attribute a certain poetic construction to the Gospel of John.  Luke, however, is not to be outdone in complex and revealing construction of the narrative of Jesus’ life and execution.  For example, the Jews of the day would be intricately familiar with the words of the Psalms they have memorized in their minds and hearts.  Words like Psalm 118: 26.  They would have sensed something changed when they heard: “Blessed is the king who comes in the name of the Lord!”

Only in Luke’s Good News is Jesus explicitly given the title king when he enters Jerusalem in triumph. Luke has inserted this title into the words of Psalm 118.  “Blessed is he who comes in the name of the LORD.”  HE becomes King by affirmation.

Jesus is thereby acclaimed as king with words spoken by the human crowd that hearken back to the words spoken by the angel to Mary at the Annunciation:  “He will be great and will be called Son of the Most High, and the Lord God will give him the throne of David his father, and he will rule over the house of Jacob forever, and of his kingdom there will be no end.” (Luke 1:32-33).

The entry into Jerusalem also signifies that Jesus is the one who comes.  That was the very question on the minds of John the Baptist’s disciples at the beginning of Jesus’ public ministry: When the men came to him, they said, “John the Baptist has sent us to you to ask, ‘Are you the one who is to come, or should we look for another?’”  Luke 7:20

These careful phrases reinforce elements of the story that Luke has set down earlier.  Just like the words: “Peace in heaven and glory to God in the highest” echo the announcement of the angels at the birth of Jesus. 

While these critical elements reinforce the earlier narrative, the action takes a remarkable turn when the Pharisees confront Jesus. Throughout Luke’s story up to this point, every time Jesus performs miracles and signs, he instructs people to keep quiet.  Don’t tell anyone except the rabbi in the temple.  After healings, Jesus rebuked them and did not allow them to speak. 

When Jesus cleansed the leper, it was another case of keeping this under the cover of secrecy.  Then he ordered him not to tell anyone, but “Go, show yourself to the priest and offer for your cleansing what Moses prescribed;^* that will be proof for them.” (Luke 5:15)

Not today.  As Jesus enters Jerusalem to the cheers of the adoring crowd, the Pharisees want Jesus to rebuke those proclaiming his kingship.  Jesus refuses.  No longer does he want to avoid the confrontation with the rulers of Israel and Rome.  The time has come to proclaim what only the angels would sing at his birth. The time has come for the salvation to be accomplished here in Jerusalem.

Then, the hour came.

It was now about noon and darkness came over the whole land
until three in the afternoon because of an eclipse of the sun. Then the veil of the temple was torn down the middle. Jesus cried out in a loud voice, “Father, into your hands I commend my spirit”; and when he had said this he breathed his last.  Luke 23:44-46

A ministry that began when the Spirit descended upon Jesus in the desert ends as the spirit departs.  A ministry proclaimed that the spirit has anointed them in the desert, ends as the spirit ascends from the cross.  Jesus shows his heavenly authority by commanding the spirit into the hands of the Father.  Only He has final say over what happens.  Despite the arrest, the trial, the thorns, the nails, and the swords, the authorities tried to show their power over Jesus.  In the end, they had no power over Jesus or his spirit.   

Action

How has your Lenten preparation proceeded?  There remains one week left to fill your Rice Bowl, to gather your forty cans and forty Rosaries, and to perform whatever acts of mercy you have chosen.

No longer can we remain silent.  Jesus wants us to publicly proclaim the Good News as the powers that be attempt to silence his voice, our voices are needed to proclaim.  Our hour has come.