The morning star and Catholic messenger. [volume] (New Orleans [La.]) 1868-1881, 1868-04-05
PALM SUNDAY.


On the morning o fthis day Jesus comes
from Bethania, were he leaves Mary, His
Mother, Martha, and Mary Magdalene with
with His disciples. The Mother of Sorrows
shudders as she sees her Son approaching
His enemies, who now determined to
shed His blood however, it is not death
that Jesus seeks to-day, hut triumph. The
Messiah, before being nailed to the cross,
must be proclaimed King in Jerusalem by
the Jewish people before the Roman eagles,
before the eyes of the priests and Pharisees,
mute with rage ind stupOr, the voice of the
children mingling with the acclamations of
the city must echo the hymns OF praise to
the Son of David.
The Prophet Zachary had foretOld thls
ovation prepared from all eternity for the
Son of man, on the eve of His humiliation.
Rejoice, U daughter of Sion shout for Joy
daughter of Jerusalem: Behold, thy King
will come to thee, the just and Saviour He
lis poor and riding on an ass, and upon Il
colt, the foal of an Ass. Jesus seeing that
the time for the accomplishment or this
prophecy was come, said to His. disciples !:
Go We into the village that is over against
YOU and Immediately you shall find an
them to me. The Saviour had already ar
rived at Bethf;lge, upon the Mount OF Olives
The disciples fastened to fulfill the COM
mand of their master. -
The holy Fathers give us the key to the
mystery of these two animals. The ass is
~ figure of the Jewish people, that for IL long
time had been placed under the yoke of the
law +; the colt, upon which no man had as
yet mounted, represented the Gentiles,
whom no one had subjected to the law. The
lot of those two peoples will, i'll Il few days,
bt decided. Jewish people, for having
rejected the Messiah, will he abandoned,
and God will adopt the nations that, barba-
rians and savages, will become docile and
faithful Tho disciples spread their gar
ments over the colt: then lc>us,, to accom-
>plish the prophecy, mounts this animal and
Prepare to make his triumphul entry into
the city. In the mean time. the runVr of
His arriEsl, spreads through Jerusalem. BY
the inspilafso1i of the Holy spirit. the nui
. titude of .JewS>Who had assembled i'll the
Holy City to celebrate the feast of the Pasch,
so out to meet hinn> carrying palms and
making the air reccho with their acclama-
tons Those who had accompanied Jesus
from Bcthani:, mingled with the crowd,
coming out from jerusalem: Some threw
their garments on the way over which< esus,
is to pass; others cast branches OF palm Upon
his route. The cry OF Hosanna rcsounds,
and is caught up by the whole multitude
the great news i'll the city is that jesus Son
"f David is making His entry into the city
King.
1t is-th,s that God, by the power He has
over the hearts OF men, procured IL triumph
for His son i'll the very city which, in a few
days, would demand with shouts and inn
precautions. the blood ofthis Messiah. Never
tlelcsS, this day was one of glory for Jesus
ind Holy Church desires that we should
every year, renew the memory OF the triumph
of the Goldman. At Christmas time, we
see the Magi coming from the distant East
seeking in Jerusalem the King of the Jews,
in order to render Him homage and give
Him their gifts to-day the whole city OF
Jerusalem goes out to meet Him. These
two events point to the same end They
are a recognition of the royalty of Jesus
Christ the first, by the Gentiles, the second,
by the Jews. 1t was necessary that the
Son of God before His Passion, should re-
ccive homage from then, both the inscrip-
ton that plate is soon to place above the
head of the Redecmer: Jesus of Nd-arcth
Hing of the .Je,rs, will express the indispcn-
sable character of the Messiah. In vain the
enemies of Jesus will endcavor to have the
wording of the inscription changed; they
will not succeed. " What have written, /
have written" will be the reply of the Ro-
man Governor, whose cowardly, pagan hand
has uH~ittingly declared the accomplish
ment of tho prophecy. To-day, the people
of Israel proclaim Jesus their King in a
short time, they will be scattered over
the face of the earth, for having revolted
against the Son of David, hut Jesus, whom
they proclaimed King, remains King for
ever. Thus is accomplished to the letter
the prophecy of the Angel to Mary: The
Lord G cd shall give unto Him the throne OF
David his father, and He shall reign in the
house of jacob forever. Jesus begins His
reign day upon earth and if, in n short
time, the first Israel shall withdraw from
Ills scepter, II new Israel, the issue OF the
faithful portion of the old, will rise up,
formed from all the peoples of the earth,
and will offer to the Christ an empire more
extended tf;tu the greatest conquerOr had
ever dreamed of.
Such is the glorious mystery of the day
~. Ia, r.,f his Ny-nn