Bishop Basil (Nesterenko)

.

Glory to Jesus Christ, dear brothers and sisters!

I congratulate you with this great feast – the triumphal entry of Jesus to Jerusalem. Today we are happy and our souls are glad too. And we understand it not only with our heart, but with our mind, because it is truly the great feast. And we glorify the Lord without slyness, because that Jews glorified Jesus with slyness. They did not understand at that time that Messiah had come and His aim was to save the world during His short life.

They thought that the King of the Earth had come, but He was the King of the Earth and the Heavens. They thought about their material wealth, they did not think about their souls. They thought that the king would come, who would save them from Roman press and they would be free. It was a great gladness. They came to glorify and meet Jesus, because they knew, that He raised Lazar from the dead, but not because He was Messiah. Jesus raised Lazar from dead four days after his death. They wanted to have a look at that Lazar and Jesus Christ, who made such miracle and they shouted: “Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord, even the King of Israel!” But Jesus did not feel happiness, because He knew that the glory was temporary and in few days they would shout: “Crucify Him!”

And it really happened.

He climbed up the hill and looked and cried. He knew that very little time would pass and Jerusalem would be destroyed, his citizens and children would be killed. And He felt sorrow. He also cried because people did not recognize Him, the time if His visit, the aim of His coming on this sinful Earth. He felt grief.

We understand that the day of His entry is a great blessing for us, that He came and spent time of the Earth and gave His life for all of us, for our salvation.

And we are on the eve of the Passion Week. Let’s comprehend it and make efforts to keep a fast (who did not) and live this week in the Lent, in the understanding that the Lord came for our sake, for our salvation. Let’s live every day of this week with these holy days, which spent Jesus Christ. Let’s touch with our hearts those events, which happened many years ago.

Let the Lord save you.