Gospels explained by Jesus - Gospel messages, gospels explanation |
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Luke 19:28-40
Year C -
Palm Sunday
Blessed be the king who comes in the name of the Lord, peace in heaven, and glory on high! Hossana in the highest.
The time came for me to make my final entry into Jerusalem, my disciples and all the people gathered together for the event, they spread their cloaks on the road to welcome me and they praised God at the top of their voices saying:
Hosanna to the Son of David, The King of Israel. Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord. Hosanna in the Highest. Their joy aroused the jealousy of the Pharisees who asked me to tell them to quiet down. I replied, if I silence them, even the stones will cry out. Who could deny the Glory of God? Who could stop praising Him when the evidence was before their eyes? I am the Saviour, who came to give sight to the blind, to open the ears of the deaf, to make the dumb speak, to heal the sick, to make the lame walk, to forgive sinners and to bring hope to everyone. And yet the people were very weak minded just like the people of today, when the time came to defend me, the same people disappeared or joined the opinion of the powerful ones of their time. I desired to have my Passover meal with my Apostles because my greatest miracle had to be performed that night before my suffering and death. Being the Word of God incarnate and with the power of God in me, I consecrated the bread and the wine, saying “this is my flesh and this is my Blood”. After my death, all my Apostles and those designated by them could perform the same ritual in memory of me and my true Flesh and my true Blood would be made available in the Sacrament of Salvation, the Holy Eucharist. I went to pray to the Mount of Olives. I began my suffering thinking of the ungratefulness of man, unworthy of my gift, and yet the purpose of my Incarnation. I was born to suffer and to die for the forgiveness of the sins of humanity. I suffered the temptation of perhaps giving up, but I prayed to the Father: “If it is possible take this cup away from me, but not my will, but your will be done.” I was apprehended, humiliated, bashed, stripped, scourged, crowned with a crown of thorns, spat upon, scorned, kicked, insulted and tortured in many different ways. I, the King was treated worse than a slave, I who am the Supreme Judge was misjudged by men, and finally I was condemned to death on the cross. I dragged my cross with the little strength of my weakened body, I was insulted and mocked by most of the people who had welcomed me into their city earlier, I fell several times on my way to Calvary and finally I was crucified and died after the most horrific agony that any human being may sustain. Every moment of my suffering was my offering to the Father combined with the prayer “Father, forgive them, for they don’t know what they do.” My mother became a martyr by my side and She also suffered all my torments in her soul. But my Victory was near, with my death I obtained your life, with my suffering I obtained your joy, with my prayer I obtained your forgiveness, with my sacrifice I obtained your redemption. My Grace conquered sin. My death defeated death giving way to the resurrection. My death brought the triumph of good over evil. I defeated Satan once and for all. My sacrifice is the offering I give to you. I have died for your sins, I am the only one who can forgive them, I have merited this from my Father. I have given the power to forgive sins to my Church, so that everyone who comes to me with a humble and contrite heart will find me available in the Sacrament of Confession. You will speak to the priest, but I will listen to you and I will forgive you. I have given my Flesh and Blood to the Church, which is my mystical body. When you eat and drink the consecrated bread and wine, you will indeed eat my flesh and drink of my Blood. It is the power of my Word that guarantees that. Believe and live. Because my flesh is the food for your souls and my blood purifies you and frees you from your sins.
Received by: Joseph
of Jesus and Mary
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28 After he had said this, he went on ahead, going up to Jerusalem.
