Pondering our Mother and Model on Palm Sunday

[MariaChristi]

Dear Brothers and Sisters,

Have you ever pondered the Blessed Mother as witnessing the procession into Jerusalem on Palm Sunday?

Mary, our Mother is not mentioned in the description of the scene; we can only ask the Holy Spirit to reveal to us what God would have us know. It seems likely Mary would be there with the other disciples, and would have seen Jesus meekly riding into Jerusalem. As the crowd shouted: "“Hosanna! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! Blessed is the kingdom of our father David that is to come! Hosanna in the highest!”, perhaps the Word of God in her heart echoed from the prophet Zechariah:

Fear no more, O daughter Zion;
see, your king comes, seated upon an ass’s colt. (Zech 9:9 from the New American Bible)

‘’ Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion! Shout aloud, O daughter of Jerusalem! Lo your king comes to you; triumphant and victorious is he, humble and riding on an ***, on a colt the foal of an ***. (Zech 9:9 from Revised Standard Version)

At Cana, Jesus had told Mary that His hour had not yet come, but did our Mother ponder now if this indeed was His hour – this passover?

The last recorded words of Mary in Scripture are given in the Gospel of John at the beginning of Jesus’ ministry. Her words to the servants at Cana, are important for us: “Do whatever He tells you”.

As we listen to the Gospel of Mark today in preparing for, and then during Palm Sunday Mass tomorrow, let us open our hearts and minds to the Holy Spirit, to hear the Truth, and do the Truth we hear, lovingly.

 

[lumenchristi23]

Wow… It’s truly beautiful and indeed it makes us wonder how our Blessed Mother’s reaction would have been seeing her her Son enter the Holy city.

She was always by his side.

Mary help of Christians, pray for us

 

[Dorothy]

Wow… It’s truly beautiful and indeed it makes us wonder how our Blessed Mother’s reaction would have been seeing her her Son enter the Holy city.

She was always by his side.

She must have been pondering a lot, remembering that Simeon said “And thine own soul a sword shall pierce.” (Luke 2:35)

 

[MariaChristi]

She must have been pondering a lot, remembering that Simeon said “And thine own soul a sword shall pierce.” (Luke 2:35)

Dear Dorothy and lumenchristi,

Thank you both for your replies. Yes, we know from the Gospel, Mary pondered:

But Mary kept all these things, pondering them in her heart. (Luke 2 :19)
and
…and His mother kept all those things in her heart" (Luke 2:51)

Mary is Mother and Model for the Church; so we need to hear what God’s Word tells us, to understand better our own unique roles within the Church. Do we listen to Jesus as Mary did? Do we ponder His Words and Actions in the Gospels?

I quoted the verses from Zechariah in my original post because it seems to me that Mary, by the power of the Holy Spirit, knew well the prophecies of the Old Testament. Her knowledge was not infinite, but being without sin, her pure heart could understand more than any other disciple. Mary’s faith in Jesus as the Son of God, continued to grow from the moment of the Annunciation until her faith gave way to the Beatific Vision, when she was assumed into heaven.

Mary continued to ponder how Jesus fulfilled the Old Testament prophecies and she saw with the eyes of faith more than others. Mary is Mother of our faith even as Abraham is the father of faith, for both were willing to offer their only sons. There is much to ponder as we enter this Holy Week. I am re-reading Pope Emeritus’ (Benedict XVI) Vol. 2 of the 3 Volume Work Jesus of Nazareth and am blessed to ponder how we as Church need to open ourselves more fully to all God has revealed and will reveal to us in His Word.

 

[MariaChristi]

Just wanted to add this morning’s Commentary for the Gospel of Psalm Sunday:

Palm Sunday of the Lord’s Passion - Year B

Commentary of the day
Attributed to Saint Ephrem of Salamis (? – 403), Bishop
1st Homily for the Feast of Palms
“See, your king shall come to you, meek, and riding on an ***, on a colt, the foal of an ***.” (Zech 9:9)

“Rejoice heartily, O daughter Zion.” Be filled with joy, Church of God. “See, your king shall come to you.” (Zech 9:9) Go out to meet him, hasten to contemplate his glory. This is the world’s salvation: God comes to the cross, and the Desired of the nations (Hag 2:7) enters Zion. The light is coming. Let us cry out with the people: “Hosanna to the Son of David. Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.” The Lord God has appeared to us who were sitting in darkness and in the shadow of death (Lk 1:79). He appeared as the resurrection of those who have fallen, the liberation of captives, the light of the blind, the consolation of the afflicted, rest for the weak, spring for those who thirst, avenger of the persecuted, redemption of those who are lost, union of the divided, doctor for the sick, salvation of those who have gone astray.

Yesterday, Christ raised Lazarus from the dead; today he is going to his own death. Yesterday, he tore off the strips of cloth that bound Lazarus; today he is stretching out his hand to those who want to bind him. Yesterday, he tore that man away from darkness; today, for humankind, he is going down into darkness and the shadow of death. And the Church is celebrating. She is beginning the feast of feasts, for she is receiving her king as a spouse, for her king is in her midst.

It is significant to me that St. Ephrem quotes the prophet and identifies the daughter of Zion with the Church. Mary, the Catechism teaches is the “Eschatological sign of the Church”. Mary could not know all she was called to without learning as we do, by Grace, as God reveals His Will. I believe Mary heard herself as the the Daughter of Zion (Jerusalem and the Jews) who rejoiced and continues to rejoice in God her Savior – just as she had sung in her Magnificat : “My soul glorifies the Lord and my spirit rejoices in God my Savior”

I believe she also pondered the prophecies of Isaiah and knew the Messiah was a “suffering servant”. From Simeon’s words, she also knew both her heart and Jesus’ Heart would be pierced. There is much for us to ponder, by God’s Grace.

 

[Dorothy]

Yes! Mary knew…and she was in solidarity with her Son throughout his life. Amen!

 

[MariaChristi]

Yes! Mary knew…and she was in solidarity with her Son throughout his life. Amen!

Dear Dorothy,

Thanks so much for your reply and your love of Jesus and Mary. How blessed we are to know their love for us! May we daily unite our tiny love to their Great Love for the Glory of God and the salvation of souls…

 

[Dorothy]

Dear Dorothy,

Thanks so much for your reply and your love of Jesus and Mary. How blessed we are to know their love for us! May we daily unite our tiny love to their Great Love for the Glory of God and the salvation of souls…

Amen!