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Our Faith
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 DONKEY OF THE LORD
- By Fr. KJ Veeger, MSC
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It’s already more than a month ago that we celebrated
Palm Sunday. We are familiar with the story. Seated on a donkey, Jesus
entered the city of Jerusalem a few days before His gruesome death. In
His time, a donkey was a symbol of humility and social lowliness. The
rich rode horses! A horse lifted them high above the heads of the
common people around. From their position, they look down at the people.
Seated on His donkey, Jesus has to look up to see the crowd who praised
Him with loud voice. He looked up to these people to show that He was
sent by the Father in order to serve them. They were part of mankind to
be saved by God’s Love forever. About Him, it was predicted by the
prophet Zechariah (9:9): “Look, your King is
coming to you! He comes triumphant and victorious, but humble and riding
a donkey.”
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The mission Jesus was called to was most difficult. Many
would not appreciate Him and revolt against Him with contempt and
persecution. Yet, He could
 not
do differently but love them and respect them because He had been told
by the Father to look at them as being worthy of being called
God’s children. His unity with the Father would make Him see in all men
His brothers and sisters. It made Him humble of heart and respectful
towards those who insulted and maltreated Him. He was always vividly
aware that God’s love for mankind was stronger than all the evil they
had committed. By entering Jerusalem, Jesus expressed His mission to
mankind in a visible way.
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Quite a number of years ago, the late Fr. Emiliano
Tardif, MSC, a Canadian priest, came to visit Jakarta on a mission. His
fame was worldwide because of his healing capacities. Being invited to
whatever country in the world, people crowded around him and overloaded
him with all kinds of honors, flowers and gifts, saying, “blessed is he
who comes in the name of the Lord.” But Fr. Emiliano himself, when he
was asked how he felt, answered in one of his books, “I can’t see myself
as being anything more than just the donkey that carried Jesus. When
people show me their thanks and praise, and even put their cloaks on the
ground where the donkey would walk, I know like the poor animal that all
of it is addressed to Jesus, and not to me.” And Fr. Emiliano added,
“once people have received Jesus, they send me back home, like Jesus did
with His donkey. On my return, there are no flowers on my path, neither
are there shouts of joyful thanksgiving. I only enter into my inner self
and say, ‘Lord how great You are!’”
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Jesus’ donkey returned to its shed as humble as before.
Our mission to our fellowmen must be done in humility. It is limited.
We are only the donkey of the Lord. We are only used to carry Jesus to
His people.
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- TELL US LIKE IT IS!
- Has something
wonderful and unique happened in your life lately? Did God answer your
prayer in a very unexpected way? Did you, like Isaiah, meet God’s
whisper?
- Have you felt His
powerful hand working in your life recently?
- Everyday, people are
experiencing God’s mighty Word in their lives and it is a pity that very
few know about it. Do you have a story to tell? Some Good News to
share?
- E-mail us (genesis@catholic.org) or fax us
(021-6627384), and tell us about it. That’s right! You don’t have to be
a great writer to do this. We can help you write it – just tell us like
it is!
- Don’t forget to write
the subject: “Let Me Tell You A
Story”
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moment to sign our guestbook.
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