Blessed is the King who comes in the name of the LORD!

When He had said this, He went on ahead, going up to Jerusalem.

And it came to pass, when He drew near to Bethphage and Bethany, at the mountain called Olivet, that He sent two of His disciples, saying, "Go into the village opposite you, where as you enter you will find a colt tied, on which no one has ever sat. Loose it and bring it here. And if anyone asks you, 'Why are you loosing it?' thus you shall say to him, 'Because the Lord has need of it.' " So those who were sent went their way and found it just as He had said to them. But as they were loosing the colt, the owners of it said to them, "Why are you loosing the colt?" And they said, "The Lord has need of him." Then they brought him to Jesus. And they threw their own clothes on the colt, and they set Jesus on him. And as He went, many spread their clothes on the road. Then, as He was now drawing near the descent of the Mount of Olives, the whole multitude of the disciples began to rejoice and praise God with a loud voice for all the mighty works they had seen, saying:

"'Blessed is the King who comes in the name of the LORD!'

Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!"

And some of the Pharisees called to Him from the crowd, "Teacher, rebuke Your disciples." But He answered and said to them, "I tell you that if these should keep silent, the stones would immediately cry out."

- Luke 19:28-40

In yesterday's reading, we're given the parable of the nobleman who goes away to receive a kingdom, and leaves his servants in charge until his return as king. He leaves each one in charge of a certain amount of money (in Matthew's Gospel, this is the parable of the Talents). When he returns, some have made profits by investing, and one has hidden away the money for the king's return. And there are those who have rejected the king's rule altogether. Each receives of the kingdom according only to the profit they've made with the gift. Jesus said, "For I say to you, that to everyone who has will be given; and from him who does not have, even what he has will be taken away from him." But the king's enemies, who reject his rule, are slain.

When He had said this, He went on ahead, going up to Jerusalem. In the past several readings, Jesus has been making His way to Jerusalem, and seeking to prepare the disciples and the Twelve for what is to come. Even the Apostles, we were told, cannot comprehend what will happen to Jesus. My study bible notes on today's entire passage: "The Triumphal Entry marks a public, messianic acclamation of Jesus, which He accepts as His mission draws toward its climax. The people hail Him as King (v. 38), but His kingship is not as they think."

And it came to pass, when He drew near to Bethphage and Bethany, at the mountain called Olivet, . . . Much of what we read in Jesus' Triumphal Entry is reflective of Scripture predicting the Messiah, the One who is to come. Today's Lectionary reading also includes verses from the prophecy of Zechariah: "On that day his feet shall stand on the Mount of Olives, east of Jerusalem . . . "

. . . that He sent two of His disciples, saying, "Go into the village opposite you, where as you enter you will find a colt tied, on which no one has ever sat. Loose it and bring it here. And if anyone asks you, 'Why are you loosing it?' thus you shall say to him, 'Because the Lord has need of it.' " Also from the prophecy of Zechariah, we read words about the Messiah, "Rejoice greatly, O Daughter of Zion! Shout, Daughter of Jerusalem! See, your king comes to you, righteous and having salvation, gentle and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey."

Then they brought him to Jesus. And they threw their own clothes on the colt, and they set Jesus on him. And as He went, many spread their clothes on the road. Then, as He was now drawing near the descent of the Mount of Olives, the whole multitude of the disciples began to rejoice and praise God with a loud voice for all the mighty works they had seen, saying: "'Blessed is the King who comes in the name of the LORD!' Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!" The colt (foal of a donkey) is a symbol of what kind of king is coming. The Messianic expectations of His followers and popular ideas in expectation of a political Messiah at the time will be disappointed. This is not a general on a horse, but a peaceful Messiah, one who brings a spiritual and cosmic reign - but who will suffer through His Passion, leaving His servants to work for the Kingdom in expectation of His return (as in the parable given in yesterday's reading). The shout and praise is from Psalm 118: "Blessed is he who comes in the name of the LORD. From the house of the LORD we bless you."

And some of the Pharisees called to Him from the crowd, "Teacher, rebuke Your disciples." But He answered and said to them, "I tell you that if these should keep silent, the stones would immediately cry out." The Pharisees, of course, want to keep order, and dismiss Jesus as Messiah. So they order Him to rebuke His disciples. And once again, there is reference to Scripture in Jesus' reply. His words echo those of Habakuk: "The stones of the wall will cry out, and the beams of the woodwork will echo it." The very "stones," in other words, will bear witness - they will testify to what is earth-shaking and of tremendous importance, to a truth that is undeniable and which cannot be suppressed. In the First Epistle of St. Peter, there is great use of the imagery of stones. St. Peter calls Christ "a living stone" and tells the early Christians, "you also, as living stones, are being built up a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, to offer up spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ." Our "chief cornerstone" is Christ, and we, as His faithful, must be the "living stones" who build up this spiritual Church. We are "witnesses" to that faith, we "testify" - just as the very stones would cry out if the multitude of disciples are silenced.

So, as Jesus rides into Jerusalem on a colt, we are left with the expectations of Messiah, and the truth of this spiritual kingdom that is being revealed. The peaceful Messiah issues in a kingdom of cosmic importance, and we are left to understand that as a king coming to His bride Jerusalem, Jesus is also entering into His heavenly Kingdom. St. Peter speaks of "spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ" - and in today's reading, we know that Jesus is preparing for the sacrifice He will make for this heavenly kingdom. He will leave His servants, "the whole multitude of the disciples," to work as they await His return, to build up a spiritual house, a holy priesthood, and to offer our own "spiritual sacrifices acceptable to God through Jesus Christ." How are you a living stone, a witness, a follower who builds the walls of this Church around its cornerstone - the man riding into Jerusalem on a donkey's colt? What does this humble Messiah say to you in terms of your participation in building that Church, as one of the living stones? Jesus is on His way to the Cross and His Passion, and He will leave His servants to work to build up the kingdom as they await His return. And so we do, as "living stones."