In the Gospel, Jesus is acclaimed as King of Israel by a crowd of people as he rides to Jerusalem on a donkey. It is a great triumphal parade, a high point of local fame and popular success for Jesus.
But I want to ask about the donkey.
It’s not Jesus’ donkey. How did he get it?
The Gospel says Jesus sent his disciples to a neighboring village to untie it and take it away. But why would anyone let the disciples of Jesus simply make off with somebody else’s donkey? As far as that goes, how did Jesus even know a donkey was there in that village?
Here’s one possible answer. The Gospel says that Jesus was near Bethany when he sent his disciples to get the donkey. So maybe that donkey was in Bethany. Bethany is the home of Martha and Mary and Lazarus. Like the donkey, which is a humble beast, Martha, Mary, and Lazarus are small and ordinary people. Nobody would acclaim them in great parades. But they are nonetheless the particular friends of Jesus. Maybe the donkey belongs to them or to their friends. Maybe Jesus knows exactly where that donkey is because he has seen it when he was visiting Mary and Martha and Lazarus. Maybe the villagers are so ready to let the disciples of Jesus take the donkey because they know and trust Jesus.
On this way of reading the story, with the people shouting and
acclaiming him King, Jesus rides into Jerusalem on the small beast
which comes from the village of his particular friends, two ordinary
women and their equally ordinary brother.
And here’s the sequel. The crowd that acclaims Jesus so
greatly is next seen shouting for his crucifixion. That’s how
much fame and popular success are worth. And here’s what
particular friendship with the Lord is worth. When Jesus ascends to
God the Father, do you know what place he chooses as the site for
his ascension? It’s Bethany (Luke 24:50), where his friends Mary, Martha, and Lazarus live.
And so in his royal procession, on that little donkey, our Lord shows us what is truly worth caring about, the small things, the particular things so dear to us and to our great King.
