Oblates of St. Francis de Sales

New DeSales World Newsletter - Summer Edition

Palm Sunday: Passion of the Lord (April 9, 2006)

Readings Is 50: 4-7 Ps 22: 8-9, 17-18a, 19-20, 23-24 Phil 2: 6-11 Mk 14: 1-15: 47 or 15: 1-39

Suggested Emphasis

Follow the example of the humble, patient and reliable Christ.

Salesian Perspective

Palm Sunday offers us a dramatic scene in the beginning of the last week of Christ's life. The world famous Passion Play - given in Oberammergau, Germany, since the seventeenth century - does not overlook the importance of this scene.

Francis de Sales, who lived in the 17th century, was also quick to see the drama in this Gospel scene. Francis believed that Christ came to teach us about His Father; not only by what he said, but also by the very way he interacted with people, in the way he touched them, healed them, and related to them - even in his approach to them on Palm Sunday. In the scene of the dramatic entry into Jerusalem, Francis focused on Christ the King's mount. He thought the use of an ass, not a fiery horse, told something about Christ, about the Father in whose name he came and about his kingdom.

"This is quite a touching scene. Let us look at the Savior's motives for choosing this mount. The first is because of its humility. The ass is an animal that is truly heavy, sluggish and lazy. Nevertheless, it has great humility- it is neither proud nor vain. In this, it is unlike the haughty horse. Not only does [the horse] kick, but it also bites, and is sometimes so furious that none dare approach it. It raises its head, tosses its mane and tail, and even excites vanity in the man who rides it! No sooner does he hear his horse's hoofs on the pavement than he straightens himself up proudly, raises his head, and looks around to see if any ladies at the windows are admiring him. Indeed, which is more vain: the horse or its rider? Oh, how foolish and childish all this is!"

"Now, Our Lord, who was humble and came to destroy pride, chose not to use a proud animal to carry Him. He chose the most simple and the most humble of all. The second quality is its patience. Not only is the ass humble, it is exceedingly patient. It neither complains, nor bites, nor kicks. It endures all with great patience. Our Lord so loved patience that He wished to become its mirror and pattern. He endured scourging and ill treatment with invincible patience; He supported so many blasphemies, so many calumnies, without saying a word."

"The third reason is that this animal permits us to burden it as much as we want without offering any resistance. It carries the load with remarkable reliability. So much did our Divine Master love reliability that He Himself chose to give us an example of it. So He bore the heavy burden of our iniquities and suffered for them all that we had merited."

Francis de Sales invites us follow the humble, patient and reliable Christ through the unfolding scenes to the climax of his loving death. He urges us to practice personal humility, patience and reliability so that we might likewise humbly ride through our own trials in order to experience at our own resurrections and ascensions.

Rev. Michael S. Murray, OSFS, is the Executive Director of the De Sales Spirituality Center.