CELEBRATE OUR HUMBLE KING
Isaiah 50:4-7; Philippians 2:6-11;
Luke 22:14—23:56 or Luke 23:1-49 (short form)
In the movie The Lion King, young Simba sings “I Just Can’t Wait to be King”. He wants to be free, with…
No one saying ‘do this,’ no one saying ‘be there,’
No one saying ‘stop that,’ no one saying ‘see here.’
Free to run around all day, free to do it all my way!
The people of Jerusalem were like Simba. They just couldn’t wait for Jesus to be king and for a similar reason. They wanted to be free from foreign rule; they didn’t want anyone saying ‘do this’ and ‘be there’ and ‘stop that’!
Their king comes…
But Jesus is not the mighty king they envisioned. His entry into Jerusalem was a deliberate fulfilling of Zechariah 9:9: “Rejoice, O daughter Zion! Lo, your king comes to you; triumphant and victorious is he, humble and riding on a donkey.”
Jesus underlined his kind of kingship. Only during war did kings ride upon horses; when they came in peace they came upon a donkey. Jesus came as king of love and peace, not as the conquering military hero the people expected. He would rule through humble and obedient service.
This theme is reiterated in the readings.
The first reading is the third “suffering servant” song. The mission of the servant is to encourage, console, and liberate the weary.
Paul’s hymn, in the second reading, speaks about Jesus’ humility: the Son of God did not cling to his privileges but humbled himself and became obedient unto death on a cross.
In the Gospel, following the meal, the disciples argue about who is the greatest. Jesus takes the opportunity to distinguish leadership in the Kingdom from forms of leadership seen in the world.
During his passion, Jesus is betrayed, deserted, disowned; is kicked around like a political football, flogged to pacify a politician’s conscience, and handed to the mob because of cowardice. Despite his suffering, Jesus is merciful and other-centred: he is concerned about the women who follow him; asks forgiveness for the ones crucifying him; promises the repentant thief a place in heaven.
Today’s liturgy places before me two models of leadership: the people’s model of seeking freedom and power to do one’s will and Jesus’ way of humility, self-emptying, and loving service.
Which model of power do I choose and live? May we be free to do it HIS way!
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