Day 28 - Tuesday, March 28
Triumphal Entry into Jerusalem
Scripture: Luke 19:35-40
And they brought it to Jesus, and throwing their cloaks on the colt, they set Jesus on it. And as he rode along, they spread their cloaks on the road. As he was drawing near—already on the way down the Mount of Olives—the whole multitude of his disciples began to rejoice and praise God with a loud voice for all the mighty works that they had seen, saying, “Blessed is the King who comes in the name of the Lord! Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!” And some of the Pharisees in the crowd said to him, “Teacher, rebuke your disciples.” He answered, “I tell you, if these were silent, the very stones would cry out.”

Poetry:
"All Glory, Laud and Honor" 
by Theoduphus of Orleans
All glory, laud, and honor
to thee, Redeemer, King!
to whom the lips of children
made sweet hosannas ring.

Thou art the King of Israel,
thou David’s royal Son,
who in the Lord’s Name comest,
the King and Blessed One.

The company of angels
are praising Thee on high;
and mortal men and all things
created make reply.

The people of the Hebrews
with palms before Thee went;
our praise and prayer and anthems
before Thee we present.

To Thee, before Thy Passion,
they sang their hymns of praise;
to Thee, now high exalted, our melody we raise.

Thou didst accept their praises;
accept the prayers we bring,
who in all good delightest,
Thou good and gracious King.

EVEN THE ROCKS CRY OUT!

Throughout Scripture rocks and stones seem to play a role as “witnesses” in the unfolding biblical narrative. The Patriarch Joshua set up a rock under an oak tree and said to the nation of Israel, “See! This stone will be a witness against you if you are untrue to your God. It has heard all the words the Lord our God has said to us.” (Joshua 24:27) Similarly, the Prophet Habakkuk proclaimed that “the stone will cry out from the wall. . .” (Habakkuk 2:11) when greedy people plot against their neighbors; the implication being that these stones have heard everything and will proclaim the truth.  

As Christ descended the Mount of Olives and made his way into the city of Jerusalem on that first Palm Sunday, the multitudes burst forth into jubilant praise. I can imagine it might have sounded something like the Hosanna music video that accompanies today’s meditation. His followers had either heard about or seen Christ calling Lazarus back to life a few days earlier. Surely this was the Messiah, the King of Israel, whom the Prophet Zechariah foretold would come to them, “humble and riding on a donkey.” (Zechariah 9:9) “Blessed is the King who comes in the name of the Lord” (Psalm 118) was chanted over and over as Christ made his way through the crowd. The Pharisees and religious leaders came unhinged, “Teacher, rebuke your disciples,” they shouted as Jesus passed by, “Things are getting out of control.” Christ replies, “If I were to silence them, the very stones would cry out as witnesses in judgement against this place.” Like Joshua and Habakkuk, Christ sees the rocks of Jerusalem as witnesses.

Rocks not only witness to the truth of who Christ is, they along with the entire creation proclaim his glory. Isaiah 55:12 describes mountains and hills breaking forth into song. Psalm 148 declares, “Praise the Lord from the earth. . .mountains and all hills, fruit trees and all cedars!” Recent discoveries by string theorists suggest that sound waves or vibrating strings are embedded in everything that God has designed--including rocks. In fact, it appears that the entire universe is singing praises to God when Pastor Louie Giglio demonstrates what he has discovered in his amazing video, Stars and Whales Singing God’s Praise.   

Whether in judgement or in praise, God uses rocks in powerful ways. Rocks are cold, sharp, warm, and sometimes smooth. They come in numerous shapes and each one holds a strength of its own. I live near the ocean. It is here at the water’s edge, that I search for heart-shaped rocks. I collect them in all sizes and colors. I find a perfection within them--the hand of the Master, his DNA, etched within these elemental creations. A simple rock holds foundational truth for me. In my journey I have been broken, but I find my faith renewed in places where I can walk with Him upon the rocks.

Rocks are a powerful symbol of our Lord. "On Christ the Solid Rock I stand all other ground is sinking sand." It is here that I meditate on my solidarity with Christ and the strong foundation he has laid. Jesus is the Rock of my Salvation, He is my Rock and my Shield, He is solid, He is refined, He is smooth and He is rough. He is broken and He is whole. He is my Rock, He is my Strength, What do I have to fear? Oh how I long to embrace the Shadow of the Almighty in the cleft of the rock to find safety, security, a home.

“Hosanna to the Son of David.” “Blessed is the King who comes in the name of the Lord.” Oh how I love you, Oh how I trust you, Oh how I need you, Oh how I find comfort in you, Christ my Solid Rock.  

Find a rock; hold it and pray--somewhere in your day. Maybe you have a rock in your home, maybe you have one in the garden, in a nearby field or at the beach. Pick up that rock and feel it, let the Spirit of God speak to you. Allow the ROCKS TO CRY OUT to your soul during this Lenten season.

PRAYER
O Lord, Let me look where my eyes cannot take me to see what I cannot see. Let me surrender so that I can go where I was meant to be, where I most want to be. Let me look heavenward. Raise my eyes. Raise my heart to sing your praise!
Amen.  
(adapted from Simone Weil, 1909-1943)

Arianna Caligiuri
Spiritual Director
Founder & CEO of the Edge Project