The Freedom of Humbleness

Palm Sunday

By Sabrina White, president, Northeastern Jurisdiction

When they had come near Jerusalem and had reached Bethphage, at the Mount of Olives, Jesus sent two disciples, saying to them, "Go into the village ahead of you, and immediately you will find a donkey tied, and a colt with her; untie them and bring them to me. If anyone says anything to you, just say this, 'The Lord needs them.' And he will send them immediately." This took place to fulfill what had been spoken through the prophet, saying, "Tell the daughter of Zion, Look, your king is coming to you, humble, and mounted on a donkey, and on a colt, the foal of a donkey." The disciples went and did as Jesus had directed them; they brought the donkey and the colt, and put their cloaks on them, and he sat on them. A very large crowd spread their cloaks on the road, and others cut branches from the trees and spread them on the road. The crowds that went ahead of him and that followed were shouting, "Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest heaven!"

—Matthew 21:1-9

April 17, 2011

Jesus came to Jerusalem some 2000 years ago, humble, and mounted on a donkey, with a colt, the foal of a donkey (beast of burden). Luke tells us Jesus wept "as he came near and saw the city" because they "did not recognize the time of [their] visitation from God" (Luke 19:41, 44)

Help us become humble before you, not to claim what we deserve but for the forgiveness of sins and eternal life.

. Luke tells us that, like us, the people of Jerusalem had a hard time with humility.

Today it seems we have a hard time with being humble. In fact, we spend much of our time trying to evade and overcome humility. Everybody wants attention from the time we are born. Our clothes, houses and cars call out that we want to be noticed. Even the church and the members are preoccupied with showing God and one another how holy we are, striving to make ourselves and our church pleasing to the eyes and the emotions.

As sinners, being humble is not a matter of trying hard enough. You either are humble or you are not. And as sinners, we are not humble. We are self-centered and self-occupied. Life is all about us and what we can get. Jesus came to change this!

Thank God for Jesus! He allows us in his grace so that we can be just and godly through him. Moreover, through the Holy Spirit we can do what is required to act justly and to love mercy and to walk humbly with our God.Today the world is not too different from the Jerusalem into which our Lord rode. But we thank God for Jesus and the Holy Spirit who transforms us.

Jesus suffered and conquered hell for our sins. No, it is not hard for our Lord to be humble. He is humble. Jesus Christ is the Son of God and he exists to make God known to us. Everything he did was about the love of God for us (sinners). He did not come to see what he could get from the world or from us. He did not come to show his power to everybody else. He did not come to prove himself to us—Jesus came to give his life to the world. Jesus, the Son of God, came humbly—to do God's will and be here for us.

Prayer

Heavenly Father, grant us the faith that we may know Jesus as a blessing and a gift. Let us receive Jesus in faith, cling to him, implore his grace and find comfort in his mercy alone. Let us sing "Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest!" Help us become humble before you, not to claim what we deserve but for the forgiveness of sins and eternal life. In the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Spirit. Amen.

Last Updated: 04/26/2011