Finding Hope In The Crowd: A Quarantined Palm Sunday Reflection

“To come to know God—the true God—means to receive hope. We, who have always lived with the Christian concept of God, and have grown accustomed to it, have almost ceased to notice that we possess the hope that ensues from a real encounter with this God.” (Pope Benedict XVI, Spe Salvi)

It’s hard to come up with ways to “enter into Holy Week” without the option of going to Mass. During this quarantine time my family has made a point of getting ready every Sunday morning and live-streaming Mass. We still manage to be late, but on the bright-side, the priest doesn’t notice. It’s been a blessing to have the opportunity to participate in Mass via live-stream, as opposed to having nothing at all. We get to hear great homilies from the likes of Bishop Robert Barron and Father Mike Schmitz, and we get to discipline our kids when they scream during the consecration without the fear of being judged by fellow parishioners who find their inopportune screams….cute.

Despite our best efforts, nothing beats being physically present at Mass. Our time away from Mass has shown me just how much I relied on the Church and the Liturgy to refocus my internal disposition leading into Holy Week. Focusing in general is difficult enough at this stage of parenthood, but at a time like this, when I was a little less than perfect in my Lenten sacrifices, I wish I could just sit with Jesus amidst the chaos. I’d give anything to be able to sit in a pew in Christ’s presence, even while being used as a human jungle gym. But here we are with YouTube Mass hoping the WiFi keeps up.

So…in an effort to make this Holy Week the best week ever, and in doing-so hopefully erasing my mediocre Lent, I’ve decided to read through Pope Benedict’s Jesus of Nazareth series to assist my prayer and personal reflections. Right off the bat, Pope Benedict struck a cord with me as he reflected Christ ride in to Jerusalem on Palm Sunday: “The scene of Messianic homage to Jesus was played out on this entry into the city and those taking part were not the inhabitants of Jerusalem, but the crowds who accompanied Jesus and entered the Holy City with him.” (Pope Benedict XVI, Jesus of Nazareth: Part Two)

I’d never really thought about the difference between the crowds who followed Jesus into Jerusalem, and the inhabitants of Jerusalem on Palm Sunday. Benedict points out that these were two entirely separate groups. The crowd who shouted Hosanna were not the people who inhabited Jerusalem. I never knew that. Or at least hadn’t thought about it. I bet one of kids was talking during that part of the Gospel (I’m blaming all my shortcomings on them).

But the imagery of the crowd walking in with Jesus, rejoicing in his arrival, and the questioning locals who knew nothing of who Jesus was, is powerful.

Matthew recounts the scene: “When He entered Jerusalem, all the city was stirred, saying “Who is this? And the crowds said: This is the prophet Jesus from Nazareth of Galilee” (Mt 21:10-11) The scene is powerful to me because, for those of us who believe in Jesus, that’s us now…we are the crowd.

We all acknowledge that we’re in a significant time in history because of the coronavirus. Only God knows how people will recount this time in the midst of the pandemic, and how our children and grandchildren will speak about this time and all of its repercussions. But for Christians, for those of us in the crowd, there’s more to the story. And this week is the week to claim it. Regardless of where this pandemic leaves us, it’s not the end because of the one who rode into Jerusalem a donkey.

As we begin to enter Holy Week, we will be those people in the crowd who know Jesus and have hope. And if we live out our hope in these coming days, others will question us just like those in Jerusalem questioned the crowds: “Who is this?”

If you spend the next week live streaming Mass, reciting the Rosary and Divine Mercy Chaplet, finding drive-through confessions, and finding anyway possible to pray along with the Church...others will notice (especially the family members that you’re quarantined with)...and they will ask.

If you make your social media feeds less about the virus and more about Jesus...others will notice...and they will ask.

If you are able suffer with joy during these times...others will notice...and they will ask.

If you make it a point to reach out to your friends, family members, and loved ones that are struggling because of their isolation, and offer to pray for and with them...others will notice...and they will ask.

Palm Sunday marks the start of Holy Week, and as we hear about the crowd in the Gospel, remember that you are in that crowd. In that crowd, we proclaim that Jesus Christ, our hope, is here. Despite difficult this moment in history is, Jesus is here in it with us. And because we have Jesus, we have Hope.

May we all find the joy in our place in the crowd, and may we rediscover Jesus, our hope.

Happy Palm Sunday!

Verso L’alto - Renzo