Our celebration of Holy Week begins on Palm Sunday with the entry of Jesus into Jerusalem. We often refer to that event as the “Triumphal Entry” even though we know what follows may seem to the world to be a defeat because once He arrived it all appears to fall apart: the hosannas turn to jeers, He is arrested, beaten, spit upon, ridiculed and crucified. We have the benefit of knowing not only the event we call the Resurrection, but also the Risen One Himself. We know He is victorious. We know that we, likewise, are victorious! This victory is symbolized by the donkey that Christ rode into Jerusalem on the first Palm Sunday.
The first symbolic meaning of the donkey shows us how Christ won his victory over sin and evil: through humility. A donkey is a useful beast of burden, but not a glorious and impressive one. And that's exactly like the Christian virtue of humility, by which we lower ourselves in order to help raise up others, to serve them. This is what Jesus did, as St. Paul tells us in today's Second Reading:
"...he emptied himself, taking the form of a slave, coming in human likeness... he humbled himself, becoming obedient to the point of death, even death on a cross. God becoming man and taking up residence in this sinful world is the ultimate act of humility."
Just as Jesus rides the humble donkey into the city of Jerusalem, so he rides the virtue of humility through this sinful world in order to blaze a path for us into heaven. He humbles himself to save us out of love.
The second symbolic meaning is more directly connected to Christ's victory. In ancient times, military commanders who were engaged in battle and conquest would ride on the most efficient beasts for war: strong, fast, powerful warhorses. But after a battle was won, the victorious general would parade into the city riding on - you guessed it - a donkey. That is why the people shouted out when they saw Jesus riding into Jerusalem on a donkey. It was a sign for them; it meant that Jesus had conquered and was bringing the peace of his Kingdom (though they didn't yet understand what kind of kingdom it was).
Everything in today's liturgy - even the humble donkey - shines brilliantly with the aura of Christ's amazing victory over evil and original sin.
In fact, every celebration of Holy Week—Holy Thursday, Good Friday, the Easter Vigil and Easter Sunday—are proclamations of the Good News of Jesus Christ. May your faith in Jesus Christ be deepened as you celebrate Holy Week and Easter.
Joyfully,
Father Mike