THE PALM SUNDAY KERYGMA (Part II)

My beloved brothers and sisters in Christ Our Only True Lord, God and Savior,

CHRIST IS IN OUR MIDST! HE WAS, IS, AND EVER SHALL BE.

THE PALM SUNDAY KERYGMA (Part II)
Saint Gregory Palamas

The people not only sang His praises and called Him God, but they subsequently opposed the Scribes and Pharisees’ evil purpose against God and their murderous allegations. For the latter were mad enough to say of Him, "This man is not of God, and since he doeth many miracles, if welet him thus alone and do not put him to death, all men will believe on him: and the Romans shall come and take away both our place and nation" (cf. John 9:16; 11:47-48). But what did the people say? "Blessed is He that cometh in the name of the Lord: Blessed be the kingdom of our father David that cometh" (Mark 11:9-10). By saying, "Blessed is He that cometh in the name of the Lord," they SHOWED THAT HE WAS FROM GOD THE FATHER AND THAT HE AME IN THE NAME OF THE FATHER. AS THE LORD SAID OF HIMSELF, "I CAME IN THE NAME OF MY FATHER" (cf. John 5:43) and I proceeded forth and came from God" (John 8:42). On the other hand, by saying, "Blessed be the kingdom of our father David that cometh," they showed that this was the kingdom in which, according to prophecy, the Gentiles too, and indeed the Romans, were to believe. For this king was not just Israel’s hope, but also the expectation of the Gentiles (Pagans), according to Jacob’s prophecy: "Binding his foal unto the vine," where "foal" refers to the Jewish people who were subject to Him, "and his ass’s colt unto the branch of the vine" (Genesis 49:11). The branch of the vine is the Lord’s disciples, for the Lord said to them, "I AM THE VINE, YE ARE THE BRANCHES" (John 15:5). By this branch, the Lord binds to Himself His "ass’s colt," namely the NEW ISRAEL OF THE GENTILES, who become sons of Abraham by grace. If, asked the people, this kingdom in which we have put our faith is the hope of the Gentiles (Pagans) too, why should we fear the Romans?

Those who were childlike in innocence but not in intelligence were inspired by the Holy Spirit to offer up to the Lord a faultlessly perfect hymn, and bore witness that, as God, He had brought Lazarus back to life after he had been dead for four days. When the Scribes and Pharisees, on the other hand, "saw the wonderful things that He did, and the children crying in the Temple and saying, Hosanna to the Son of David, they were sore displeased and said unto the Lord, Hearest Thou what they say?" (Matthew 21:15-16). In fact, it would have been more appropriate for the Lord to put the same question to them, "Can you not see, or hear or understand?" To refuse those who were complaining that He tolerated songs of praise that were fitting for God alone, He replied, "Yes, I hear those who, invisibly enlightened by Myself, declare such things about Me. But if these should hold their peace, THE STONES WOULD IMMEDIATELY CRY OUT. Have you never read the prophecy that, "Out of the mouth of babes and sucklings thou hast perfected praise?" (Psalm 8:2; Matthew 21:16). This was another amazing fact, that simple, uneducated children should speak perfectly of the Divinity of God made man for our sake, and that their voices should take up the Angelic Hymn. At the Lord’s birth the Angels sang, "Glory to God in the highest and on earth" (Luke 2:14), and now at the time of His Entry into Jerusalem the children offered up the same hymn, "Hosanna to the Son of David, Hosanna in the highest" (Matthew 21:9).

Let us all, young and old, rulers and subjects, be childlike in innocence, that God may empower us to make a public show of the trophies, and carry aloft the symbols of victory, not just victory over the evil passions, but over visible and invisible enemies, and may we find the grace of the word to help in time of need (cf, Hebrews 4:16). The young colt which the Lord deigned to ride for our sake prefigured, although it was only one, the Gentiles’ obedience to HIm and we, governors and governed alike, are all Gentiles come from them.

In Christ Jesus there is neither male nor female, nor Greek, nor Jews, but all, according to the Holy Apostle, are one (Galatians 3:28). In the same way, in Him there is neither ruler nor subject, but by His grace WE ARE ALL ONE IN FAITH IN HIM, AND BELONG TO ONE BODY, HIS CHURCH, WHOSE HEAD HE IS. By the grace of the All-Holy Spirit we have all drunk of the one Spirit, and have all received one baptism. We all have one hope and one God, Who is above all, and through all, and in us all (Ephesians 4:6). So let us love one another. Let us bear with one another, SEEING THAT WE ARE MEMBERS OF ONE ANOTHER. When He departed from this world, the fatherly inheritance He left us was AGAPE (LOVE), and the last prayer He gave us when He Ascended to His Father WAS ABOUT AGAPE FOR ONE ANOTHER (John 13:33-35).

Let us strive to attain to this fatherly prayer and let us NOT lose the inheritance He left us nor the sign He gave us, lest we should also lose our sonship, our blessing and our discipleship. If that happens, we shall fall away from the promised hope and be shut out of the spiritual bridechamber. Before His Saving Passion, when the Lord entered the earthly Jerusalem, not just the people, but also the true rulers of the Gentiles, the Lord’s Apostles, spread their garments in His way. In the same manner, let us all, rulers as well as subjects, lay down our natural garments before Him, by making our flesh and its impulses subject to the spirit, that we may be made worthy not only to see and worship Christ’s Saving Passion and Holy Resurrection, but to enjoy communion with Him. "For if," says the Holy Apostle, "we have been planted together in the likeness of His death, we shall be also in the likeness of His Resurrection" (Romans 6:5).

To which may we all attain by the grace and love towards mankind of our Lord and God and Savior Jesus Christ, to Whom belong All Glory, Honor and Worship, together with His Father without beginning and the Life-Giving Spirit, now and forever and unto the ages of ages. Amen. (Resources: HOMILIES)

A BLESSED AND GRACE-FILLED HOLY AND GREAT WEEK TO ALL!

________
"Glory Be To GOD
For
All Things!"
+ Saint John Chrysostomos

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With sincere agape in His Divine and Glorious Diakonia (Ministry),
The sinner and unworthy servant of God
+ Father George