“The next day the great crowd that had come for the festival heard that Jesus was on His way to Jerusalem. They took palm branches and went out to meet Him, shouting, ‘Hosanna! Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord! Blessed is the King of Israel!’” John 12:12-13
We arrived to Jerusalem yesterday, on the Sabbath. As we always did every year, we went straight to the Temple to pray and worship. I kept looking for Jesus’ face everywhere, but I did not see Him or His disciples. I later found out that He had made a stop at Bethany, at the house of Martha, Mary and Lazarus, and had spent the Sabbath with them.
The miracle that rose Jesus’ fame to stardom was the resurrection of Lazarus. I have heard many different versions of the story through all the pilgrims that have come through Nazareth, but the one that most people told me and that therefore I consider to be the truth, is that “the sisters sent word to Jesus, saying, ‘Lord, behold, he whom You love is sick.’” (1) But Jesus “stayed two days longer in the place where He was.” (2) When Jesus finally got to Bethany, “He found that (Lazarus) had already been in the tomb four days.” (3) “Martha, when she heard that Jesus was coming, went to meet Him, but Mary stayed at the house. Martha then said to Jesus, ‘Lord, if You had been here, my brother would not have died. Even now I know that whatever You ask of God, God will give You.’ Jesus said to her, ‘Your brother will rise again.’” (4) “When Mary came where Jesus was, she saw Him, and fell at His feet, saying to Him, ‘Lord, if You had been here, my brother would not have died.’ When Jesus therefore saw her weeping, and the Jews who came with her also weeping, He was deeply moved in spirit.” (5) “Jesus wept.” (6) “Jesus, again being deeply moved within, came to the tomb. Now it was a cave, and a stone was lying against it. Jesus said, ‘Remove the stone.’” (7) “So they removed the stone. Then Jesus raised His eyes, and said, ‘Father, I thank You that You have heard Me. I knew that You always hear Me; but because of the people standing around I said it, so that they may believe that You sent Me.’ When He had said these things, He cried out with a loud voice, ‘Lazarus, come forth.’ The man who had died came forth, bound hand and foot with wrappings, and his face was wrapped around with a cloth. Jesus said to them, ‘Unbind him, and let him go.’ Therefore many of the Jews who came to Mary, and saw what He had done, believed in Him.” (8)
I can only imagine the reaction from everyone that was present, and most importantly, the joy that Mary and Martha must have felt at that moment. They went from profound sorrow to incredible joy in the blink of an eye. No wonder my Son is spending the Sabbath with them. They are more than friends, they are like siblings to Him.
After spending the appropriate time in the Temple, and offering the lamb in the altar of holocausts, we went to the valley and set up camp for the week that we would be spending here. I shared a tent with Sarah and Luke. Salome and her family, and Clopas and his family also set up tents next to us.
Today, we woke up early and headed to Jerusalem. As we were approaching the main gate to enter the city, we heard a big commotion. People were running all over the place, carrying palm branches. Then I heard someone shout, “Jesus is coming! Jesus is coming!” I felt a shiver of excitement run through my body. I joined the crowd and I followed them to the next gate. And then I saw Him. He was sitting on a donkey, approaching the city and surrounded by His disciples. I noticed that Mary and Martha were also with Him, and even though I did not know Lazarus personally, I figured that he was there as well. Then people “began to shout ‘Hosanna! Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord! Blessed is the King of Israel.’” (9) I was reminded of the Scriptures: “Fear not, daughter of Zion; behold, your King is coming, seated on a donkey’s colt.” (10)
As He entered Jerusalem, He saw me. His eyes met mine, and He smiled. But He kept going. Martha, who had noticed His smile, followed His eyes and saw me. She came running to me, followed by her sister Mary.
“Mother! Mother!” she called out. They had started calling me “Mother” when I met them, and they still called me “Mother.” This convinced me that they considered Jesus their brother.
“Martha, Mary!” I called out to them. “How good to see you here.”
“Please come, we want you to meet our brother Lazarus, whom Jesus raised from the dead,” said Mary.
I followed them, and Sarah and Luke came over too. The introductions were made, and we all hugged each other. They extended an invitation to go to their house the following day. “Bethany was near Jerusalem, about two miles off.” (11) I promised them that I would go. They told me to bring the rest of the family as well. I said that we were a large group, but they insisted.
I am now looking at the stars in the sky. Everyone has already retired for the night. Jerusalem also looks like a star sparkled city with all the fires lit on rooftops and streets. I have already finished my evening prayers, and I was thinking about my Son and how popular He has become. I am worried though. John the Baptist was also loved by all, and it cost him his life. I knew that popularity represented a threat to many, especially the chief priests and Pharisees. They could not be happy of the attention that Jesus was drawing to Himself. Oh, how I wish that we could go and hide in Egypt like we did when He was a newborn and Herod wanted to kill Him. But Jesus is not a little baby, He is a grown man, and I have to allow God’s will to be fulfilled.
Reflection:
There were many who accompanied Jesus on His journeys. If I had been amongst them, how would I have been impacted by Him? How has following Jesus changed my own life?
Copyright © 2020 Christy Romero. All rights reserved.
References:
- John 11:3
- John 11:6
- John 11:17
- John 11:20-23
- John 11:32-33
- John 11:35
- John 11:38-39
- John 11:41-45
- John 12:13
- John 12:15
- John 11:18
Resources from the following books are being used on this journey:
1. The Mystical City of God: A Popular Abridgement of the Divine History and Live of the Virgin Mother of God by Venerable Mary of
Agreda
2. The World’s First Love: Mary, Mother of God by Fulton J. Sheen
3. Las Palabras Calladas: Diario de Maria de Nazaret by Pedro Miguel Lamet
4. My Soul Magnifies the Lord: A Scriptural Journey with Mary by Jeanne Kun
All Bible references are from the New American Standard Bible (NASB) unless otherwise specified.
No comments:
Post a Comment