(Mt 21:1-11; Mk 11:1-10; Lk 19:28-40; Jn 12:12-16)

At school, the boys always had difficulty distinguishing between two Sienese artists, Simone Martini and his master Duccio - less courtly and more disturbing - until the catechist pointed out a detail of Jesus' entry into Jerusalem on the Majesty of Siena; the first great polyptych in history.

Duccio di Buoninsegna had enriched the scene with paschal symbols such as the tree behind Christ's head that alludes to the vital gallows, as well as the light-coloured dome still towering above [an icon of the body of the Risen One as a 'rebuilt temple'].

But what gave one pause for thought was the stark contrast between the two doors on the right side of the panel - also on the same compositional axis - underlining the divergence of situations.

In the painting the great entrance to the city nobly overlooks a cheering crowd, while the small door in the lower foreground alludes to the entrance to the Garden of Gethsemane.

Lower gate and enclosure delimit a deserted terrain. Elements that wedge angularly and almost clumsily into the harmony of the beautiful (but paradoxical) composition.

There is a vivid contrast between the wide gateway crowded with a festive multitude, and the threshold with that space left unfulfilled; icons of the sense of abandonment, sadness and loneliness of those who enter and cross it.

A jarring depiction, when compared to the hymnody of the city's huddles - despite the fact that the entire sector of notables remains perplexed.

In short, the common idea of a messianic entry into the holy city made smooth and triumphant on the wave of the advantageous moment, is cracked and disturbed by incongruous details.

Spy-like ingredients that invite a kind of reflection still unfortunately absent from the popular imagination, nailed to more scenic and directly pleasing commonplaces than the Palm Festival.

An in-depth biblical study induced the parish community to scrutinise the novel themes that gradually arose from a careful reading of the texts.

Even the children realised: the natural atmosphere, the punctuated repetition that creates habit, and the setting up of worship, could play tricks on them, conveying meanings even in vain - some even opposed to the call of the Gospels.

Gradually one realised why after the proclamation of the Entrance and the festive procession peppered with Hosannas and pretty sprigs in hand - the Liturgy of the Word imposed the discordant moment of the proclamation of the Passio.

Even the opening Gospel of the Liturgy was reinterpreted by the priest in a way that stunned the lively assembled community.

The priest asked the unbelieving young people what were the favourite 'animals' from Holy Scripture to describe Jesus and his proposal.

A provocation then began, which made people reflect on quaint habits and certain catchphrases; as well as, ponder the stereotypes that were too agreeable and harmonious.

In short, even today, in the 'village' of ancient traditions, disciples need to recover and release the prophecy of his resigned Person. It is the only thing the Lord needs.

He comes to propose a different Face of God, not a violent ruler - and a different relationship of the people of the children who want to grow, than what was expected: power and tranquillity.

No worldly kingship, no wars to be waged - this is the meaning of the gesture of laying the cloak on the modest horse.

Thus, the authentic disciples agreed with the low profile of the Messiah of peace.

But the adherence is not shared. Most of the onlookers humble themselves by spreading their cloaks on the road [at that time a sign of subordination]: they prefer subjection to a glorious King.

And unfortunately, over the centuries not a few believers have put submission before love, risky management of their own freedom to be and do.

The cut branches? They allude to the Feast of Tabernacles, during which the Messiah should have appeared... imagined Great, avenger, proponent of easy prosperity at the expense of other peoples.

So Jesus finds himself constrained and as if taken hostage between two wings of the crowd: a group that directs, to show him the path of power - and one that presses him, as if not to let him escape, nor make him do his own thing.

Too dangerous.

Unfortunately, the misunderstanding has lasted to this day, and is still very tenacious to eradicate. The imagery of that particular Sunday confuses the sense of the festive setting.

We too are in danger of still mistaking the Son of Man, the image of the Father, for the Son of David - the skilful leader who a thousand years earlier had militarily reunited the tribes and given imperial lustre to the nation.

In the Gospels, the Lord does not allow himself to be identified with the eagle of John, although it is He who comes from above and sees beyond the immediate.He is not a winged spiritual being [symbolised by Mt] but fully incarnate, despite being the authentic Angel, i.e. the Father's Envoy par excellence.

Jesus is not associated with the lion [Mk], king of the forest and the beasts, although he is the only successful and majestically royal man - a true and totally 'present' Person according to God.

Still less do we place it alongside the ox [Lk] icon of ancient, traditionally sacrificial devotion.

On a Gospel basis, it is not even possible to imagine the figure and proposal of the Master with the typical bestiary of homage and respect with which sovereigns and dignitaries, all the powerful and the elect, even of the official religious caste, were idealised in the ancient East.

The Gospels do not recognise Jesus as a majestic bird of prey: they equate the stability, quality and action of His Spirit in the icon of the 'dove'.

Again, with a figure that really makes the chickens laugh: the 'hen', who laments the ruinous choices of her brood (Mt 23:37).

In place of the power of the lion [of Babylon or the tribe of Judah] behold: meekness of the Lamb who gives all of himself, including his skin.

Instead of ascetic renunciations, or animals destined for the offertory needed to appease the gods: a man with a heart of flesh and not of beast, with an ideal of communion. Life of coexistence, wrested from the prehuman.

As if to say: it is a web of being (oneself, even little ones) and of qualitative relationships, which supplants and sublimates the archaic sacrificial practices [sacrum-facere] with which in ancient times people sought contact and a relationship of reciprocity with the celestial life.

Now she is identified with human wholeness.

As an eloquent alternative to the fiery extravagance of a steed that presses forward and performs great deeds, fully collaborating to make its leader illustrious, here is the symbol of tireless industriousness, dropped into the common life of all: the 'donkey'!

This of the little donkey is a thunderous proposal of a resigned life, tailor-made for disciples still distracted, bamboozled in dreams of solemnity, prestige, worldly glory, competitive lusts [it seemed a truism of the heart].

It means: within each of us there is a prophecy of unceasing service that must be "untied".

It is as if there dwelled in the innermost being an unexpressed spring being that can and wants to be freed from the many bonds of expectations of easy success, greatness, and consensus.

Previously indifferent or disdainful hopes, for giving credit to a resigned Messiah.

Such is the level of Faith that it surpasses the common religious sense. 

It easily turns enthusiasm into sadness and adherence into abandonment, covering up the dark powers of our blocks.

That is why [and it is still contemporary history, of following and betrayal] the same people who acclaim, expecting triumphal celebration, sublime accolades and easy shortcuts - then fall in with the rejection of Christ. 

Drops of emotion, prayer and vital energy

The weeping over the eternal city, with tears of father, mother, son

(Lk 19:41-44)

We like to be in the wake of fashion or opportunism, but to reject the Lord's Call is a great responsibility.

One must recognise His Visitation, in Presence, in the inspiration that emerges.

And scrutinise the signs, seize the moments of grace instead of closing hostilely; do not turn your back.

All this changes life at the root - it leads to the heart of history.

Jesus wants to storm the closed gates of every citadel; first of all of the hardest bone: Jerusalem, the holy city.

The "eternal" territory is less capable of accepting the Lord's proposals - even those flaunted to others but lived out in their own right with aberrant behaviour here and there (forcing repeated appeals).

There, the extremists of ancient or super-modern gain remain all bent on guarding and covering interests, privileges, habits, comforts.

Situations that drag on the problems themselves - which gradually become chronic.

Not infrequently the astute leaders remain seated and closed in the defence of the world that sees only itself, in the perfect greed of every vain thing.

Forget the ferment of conversion, the engine of society, the seed of new life!

The result: the much flaunted Truth often remains hostage to the most blatant injustices, which cheerfully consume the worst betrayals in daily life.

Jesus, too, was aware of the same situation, which produced degradation and dehumanisation.

Sometimes, in fact, the search for the divine and human tension are rendered vain, due to an exclusive, snobbish or sectarian official world - that of the sacred - that seems to be under the sign of an entirely different divinity.

On the part of the leaders, the choice of an ideology of power feeds on illusions.

It leads to hard proselytism, but it leads the entire people - harassed, despised, marginalised - to disaster.

Blurring our gaze, this does not allow us to rid ourselves of the most insidious idols that disfigure existence and the mind.In this way, the dirigiste, superficial and violent point of view confuses and sidetracks the path to Shalôm.

It is impossible to realise the Visitation of God, in the perennial city of ancient religiosity or elitist, disembodied ideology.

Once, there were trenches, killings and destruction of walls and houses by Nebuchadnezzar, then the Roman one in 70 alluded to more directly in the text.

But the grim forecast extends, and perhaps the image of the pile of ruins concerns us. Historical background, ecclesial and pastoral meditation.

Not infrequently, the competent authority has unfortunately continued to condemn Jesus-peace as an evildoer to be expelled.

But in filigree, Christ today stands out in the position of King, reluctantly pronouncing a final sentence.

Perhaps he even does so on his intimates, when they indulge in compromise, ideal degradation, venal corruption (idol worship).

Where salvation is prepared, offered and re-proposed so intensely but in vain, the rejection becomes more painful - so for us and for this passionate, moving, almost heartbroken Son.

Yet the elect and exclusivist class still chooses to fall and ruin, thereby self-destructing their own people.

Receiving in return only the worldly fodder of a title to pin on.

And in the same 'spirit of permanence', rejecting the servant Messiah.

Even in time, it disregards the good work of its authentic witnesses.

Therefore, the City of cities - the great religious centre - will continue to lose its special character as a saving sign.

There will be a fulfilment nonetheless, but the anticipation is realised now.

So: are we with the Redeemer [resistance to oppression and prophetic activity without acquiescence] or with Jerusalem [deviations covered by docility, friendship of the ruler, notoriety, monetary rewards]?

Today too is the time of the Master's visit, who knocks and asks permission to enter, to open the seals of the great questions of history and life.

The warning is global, communal and personal; again with tears of father, mother and child.

An appeal that is still in the making - because of the current cultural tendency towards nothingness, surrender and the ephemeral.

The encyclical Fratelli Tutti denounces precisely the regress of an extravagant world that - with a shrunken sense of the here and now - seems to have learned little from the tragedies of the 20th century, to the point of rekindling anachronistic conflicts (nos.11.13).

The Father has reserved an alternative kingdom for the Church, and where it tries to occupy the place of others, it only ends up living off of gravure alms, and making its closest children stay.

It is better not to spoil love. Standing up for oneself is the mask of dwarfs, not the virtue of the strong - nor of family members.

But by also noticing the places of rupture, and recovering the social pace, it is with new evangelical acumen that we will be able to make the God-for-all truly operative and alive, rather than grieving over us.

This is best done from his People: from the soul of his Fraternities of silent lambs, engaged not in managing positions, but in the sine glossa craft of real life.

To internalise and live the message:

What do you think is hidden from your eyes, but previously announced - and crying bitterly?

With what orientation are you prepared to live in the handicraft of Peace, even family or social, putting aside enmities and the ephemeral [cf. Brothers All nos. 57. 100. 127. 176. 192. 197. 216-217. 225-236. 240-243. 254-262. 271-272. 278-285]?

Peace, in Truth

11. In the face of the dangers that humanity is experiencing in our times, it is the task of all Catholics to intensify, in every part of the world, the proclamation and witness of the 'Gospel of peace', proclaiming that the recognition of the full truth of God is a prior and indispensable condition for the consolidation of the truth of peace. God is Love that saves, a loving Father who desires to see his children recognise each other as brothers and sisters, responsibly striving to put their different talents at the service of the common good of the human family. God is the inexhaustible source of the hope that gives meaning to personal and collective life. God, God alone, makes every work of good and peace effective. History has amply demonstrated that waging war against God in order to eradicate him from human hearts leads a fearful and impoverished humanity towards choices that have no future. This must spur believers in Christ to become convincing witnesses to the God who is inseparably truth and love, placing themselves at the service of peace, in broad collaboration ecumenically and with other religions, as well as with all people of good will.

[Pope Benedict, Message for the XXXIX World Day of Peace, 2006].