Greetings, Sisters, Brothers and Friends of the Community!
Many blessings to you this Palm Sunday and for this Holy Week to come!
Each of the four Gospels records Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem amid expressions of honor by the people of the city. Matthew, Mark and Luke mention that people spread their cloaks on the road as Jesus approached. (John mentions the palm branches.)
As clothing, cloaks certainly serve to protect people from cold and other elements. But they can also serve to demonstrate social status and wealth, or even cover shame and guilt. In other words, they can attempt to create an image of something we are really not, perhaps much like clothes are used today. What I received from meditating on these Gospel reports is that, for me, the removal of the cloaks and laying them at Christ’s feet represented the willingness of the people to remove an outer covering of themselves, a false self, revealing to Christ who they really were. In Christ’s presence they knew that they were safe and that there was no point in covering up. Christ accepts us for who we truly are.
Cloaks come in many colors: attachments, envy, pride, shame, guilt, prejudices, bias, conceit. I have my own cloaks to lay at his feet this Palm Sunday. I ask you to lay yours there, too. Let us continue to honor the presence of Jesus during this Holy Week and beyond by spreading our “cloaks” at his feet. He will step over them and continue with us on our journey to the heart.
Your cloak-full brother,
Daniel-Joseph
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