METROPOLITAN ANTHONY (PACKANICH): LORD FOREKNEW THAT WITHIN A WEEK THE ECLAMATION «GLORY TO THE SON OF DAVID» WOULD BE REPLACED BY «AWAY WITH HIM! AWAY WITH HIM! TO THE CROSS»

The celebration of the Entry of Our Lord into Jerusalem is given to us every year to challenge us.

As it seems to us, we wait for Christ. We serve Him everyday, admire His miracles. But do we see the Savior in Christ at the same time?

The Entry of Our Lord into Jerusalem was the blink of His glory and admittance two thousand years ago too. But it was only a blink. And the shame of betraying by most loved ones and their deafening silence followed it.

Having known about the raising of Lazarus, people exulted, put palm branches, cried «A blessing on the King who comes in the name of the Lord», laying clothes under the foal’s feet, on which Lord entered.

Christ with tears appealed, looking at the city: «If you, even you, had knowledge today, of the things which give peace! but you are not able to see them. For the time will come when your attackers will put a wall round you, and come all round you and keep you in on every side, and will make you level with the earth, and your children with you; and there will not be one stone resting on another in you, because you did not see that it was your day of mercy…» (Luke 19:42-44).

Lord foreknew that within a week the exclamation «Glory to the son of David» would be replaced by «Away with him! Away with him! To the cross» and that these terrible words would be shouted by the same people who met Him just so enthusiastically. His heart was grieved.

He knew that the people didn’t expect such a Tsar. The people waited for the one who would take the throne and reign, who would bring contentment and various goods to everyone and who would defeat the hated enemy of the Jewish people.

But the Lord did not bring an earthly throne and earthly goods. He brought them a completely incomparable gift: eternal life in Christ.

Such a terrible disappointment befell the people! Christ did not equal their hopes…

Do we wait for Christ today? Do we really serve Him? Or, like the Israelites, we need a king who grants only goods and a comfortable life, guaranteeing security and peace.

Everyone must honestly answer himself: is he ready not only to meet Christ, rejoicing in His miracles, but also not to deny Him when the moment of clarity comes; is he ready to follow Christ in His sorrows, sufferings and loneliness; is he ready to go with Him to Calvary. And there is no other way for christians.

In a week, we will celebrate the Holy Easter of Christ. We hope to live up to it and meet it solemnly and joyfully by the grace of God.

Ahead is the Holy Week, the special and blessed time. Let us be strengthened in faith by the greatness of the services of the Passion Week, so that we can sincerely and worthily meet our Savior, the Lord Jesus Christ, and glorify His Holy Resurrection throughout the Universe.

 

Recorded by Natalia Goroshkova

Социальные комментарии Cackle