Read Philippians 2:5-11.
riding a donkey.
Has it ever struck you as a bit strange, that He would ride a donkey?
Jesus is the Son of God, the "one without whom nothing was made that has been made" (Jn. 1:3).
He was with His Father in the beginning as the world was created.
And yet He rode into Jerusalem on a borrowed donkey, with no saddle or stirrups or anything.
It’s a bit odd, don’t you think?
Son of God.
comes in the name of the Lord!"
Were Jesus just a mere human being, He might have become full of pride about His popularity, donkey or not.
He could even have taken power for Himself – which is what the people wanted Him to do.
He would be within His rights – for "the earth is the Lord’s, and everything in it" (Psalm 24:1).
But that didn’t happen, did it?
Jesus wasn’t looking to claim the throne, even though He could have.
He was looking to the cross.
He was not looking to be served, but to serve.
That’s why, when the time came on Good Friday for Him to be mocked, beaten and crucified, He didn’t do anything about it – He didn’t even reply to His accusers.
He was the God-Man, the Messiah, He could have been above everyone – but He chose to become the lowest of the low.
He humbled himself to the point of death, even death on the cross (Philippians 2:8).
This is what Easter represents for us – the death of one who never deserved it, so those who deserved nothing but death, might live.
For ourselves, humility like this is less appealing than basking in glory and adoration.
Humility is a trait everyone praises and admires, but strangely few are willing to put it on.
And yet in the light of Palm Sunday, St Paul instructs to "have the same mindset as Christ Jesus…" – living in humility and meekness as He did, forgiving and yet loving each other, our minds more attuned to the need of others than our own.
Let Palm Sunday and the events of the week to come be an example for us of the mighty strength that lies in a life full of humility before our Father in heaven, and before our fellow men and women.
And let’s see in Palm Sunday the greatest humility of all – that of Christ Himself, the eternal Son of God, by whose humble submission to His Father’s will, we are saved eternally.
– LUCAS MATUSCHKA