Beautiful Egypt 552 «Behold, your King is coming to you» – 24/4/2024
I’d like to congratulate you on Sinai Liberation Day that we are to celebrate tomorrow; wishing all good for all Egyptians praying that God keep our beloved Egypt blessed, safe and peaceful.The Oriental Christians are to celebrate Palm Sunday celebrating the entry of Jesus Christ to Jerusalem (al-Quds) as a King surrounded by His disciple and multitudes that received Him with cheers carrying palm branches. This aroused the grudges and furiousness of the Pharisees,
“When He had said this, He went on ahead, going up to Jerusalem. 29 And it came to pass, when He drew near to Bethphage and Bethany, at the mountain called Olivet, that He sent two of His disciples, 30 saying, “Go into the village opposite you, where as you enter you will find a colt tied, on which no one has ever sat. Loose it and bring it here. 31 And if anyone asks you, ‘Why are you loosing it?’ thus you shall say to him, ‘Because the Lord has need of it.’ ”32 So those who were sent went their way and found it just as He had said to them. 33 But as they were loosing the colt, the owners of it said to them, “Why are you loosing the colt?”34 And they said, “The Lord has need of him.” 35 Then they brought him to Jesus. And they threw their own clothes on the colt, and they set Jesus on him. 36 And as He went, many spread their clothes on the road.37 Then, as He was now drawing near the descent of the Mount of Olives, the whole multitude of the disciples began to rejoice and praise God with a loud voice for all the mighty works they had seen, 38 saying: “‘Blessed is the King who comes in the name of the Lord!’
Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!”39 And some of the Pharisees called to Him from the crowd, “Teacher, rebuke Your disciples.”40 But He answered and said to them, “I tell you that if these should keep silent, the stones would immediately cry out.””
Jesus entrance to Jerusalem was to fulfill the prophecy of Zacharias the prophet
“Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion!
Shout, O daughter of Jerusalem!
Behold, your King is coming to you;
He is just and having salvation,
Lowly and riding on a donkey,
A colt, the foal of a donkey.”
Jesus entrance to Jerusalem was preceded by a great miracle He performed; He resurrected Lazarus from death after staying for 4 years in the tomb. We read in the Bible, “For this reason the people also met Him, because they heard that He had done this sign. 19 The Pharisees therefore said among themselves, “You see that you are accomplishing nothing. Look, the world has gone after Him!””
When we approach the scene of Jesus entry to Jerusalem in unprecedented humbleness on a donkey and a foal of a donkey offering the call to salvation to a city that did not seek Him so much that He said, ““O Jerusalem, Jerusalem, the one who kills the prophets and stones those who are sent to her! How often I wanted to gather your children together, as a hen gathers her chicks under her wings, but you were not willing! 38 See! Your house is left to you desolate; 39 for I say to you, you shall see Me no more till you say, ‘Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord!’ ””
God’s love desires that all men come to Him for their own good so as to be saved. For He, glory is due to His name, “who desires all men to be saved and to come to the knowledge of the truth” However, man won’t be save if he does not return to God with his full will and pure desire for Jesus said, “Behold, I stand at the door and knock. If anyone hears My voice and opens the door, I will come in to him and dine with him, and he with Me.” For if man is willing to return to God, he will find complete acceptance, forgiveness, comfort and security, “the one who comes to Me I will [f]by no means cast out.” “Come to Me, all you who labor and are heavy laden, and I will give you rest.”
God created man to experience mere joy and happiness which will not occur if he does not willingly choose and have the true desire to live with God in a journey starting with repentance and returning to God. In this life journey, man will not find but God’s love and care. It is said, “Lord, if I deeply concentrate on my life, I see You beholding me day and night so much as though there is no creatures on earth or in heaven except myself”
Celebrating Palm Sunday is a chance knocking our doors encouraging us to think of ourselves and our stand before the love of our Lord. It is the echo of Jesus Christ saying, “How often I wanted … but you were not willing!”
Many happy returns… for stories of Beautiful Egypt can never end…
General Bishop
President of the Coptic Orthodox Cultural Center