Message: A Day of a Donkey / Mark 11:1-11
In today’s Gospel text, the colt plays an important role in Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem. "Colt" is a term referring to the offspring of a horse or donkey. In many cases in the Bible, it means a young donkey, so it would be acceptable to use the term for a young donkey. I would like to invite us to reflect on today’s passage from the donkey's perspective. Let's call it Polos because "Polos" is the Greek word for "colt." Now, let’s dive into Polos' story.
Polos is a little donkey who lives in a small town east of Jerusalem, near the Mount of Olives. He feels very happy now because it's spring. He loves the warm sunshine, and most importantly, he enjoys eating the soft and tender leaves. He was getting tired of chewing cold hay.
Another reason this time of year is wonderful for him is because of Passover. It's one of the biggest festivals and brings lots of pilgrims to Jerusalem from all over the country. Sometimes, if he's lucky, Polos can get carrots or apples from friendly travellers.
In the evening, Polos' mom comes back home from Jerusalem. Their master took her to a big military parade in the western part of Jerusalem. Polos eagerly waited all day to hear about the event from her.
When she arrives, she begins telling him about what she saw today. “You might know Pontius Pilate, the governor of the Roman province of Judaea. Every Passover, he holds a grand event where he enters Jerusalem with Roman soldiers from the west, coming from Rome's direction. The procession is magnificent and splendid: chariots, soldiers in leather armour, helmets, weapons, banners, and golden eagles on poles. And the sounds: the marching of feet, the creaking of leather, the clinking of bridles, and the beating of drums. But what impressed me the most were the horses. They were the finest horses, all beautiful: strong muscles, nice manes, and long legs!"
Polos says excitedly, "That's awesome! Can I be like them someday?"
His mom answers, "Oh, my son, we are donkeys. We're different from them. But don't be discouraged. You will be able to do many things they cannot."
And she continues, "The interesting thing was that the Roman soldiers shouted out that the Roman emperor was the son of god who had brought peace to earth. They really believe that the emperor, Augustus, is the son of Apollo, the god of war. But our master looked angry when he heard that. He murmured like this: 'Not only have they taken our land, they also try to undermine our religious faith. For us, God is not on the side of the oppressor, but the liberator of the oppressed.'"
As his mom finishes talking, Polos starts feeling sleepy. As he gets ready to sleep next to his mom, he thinks, ‘I will see the parade with my own eyes someday.’
The next day, Polos sees two people coming down from the path to the Mount of Olives. When they see Polos tied to a fence, they come over and start untying him. Polos gets scared.
Just then, his master's neighbours and relatives, who are standing nearby, come and ask them, "What are you doing? Why are you untying the donkey?"
They answer, "The Lord needs it and will send it back here."
After hearing what they said, Polos finally feels at ease because he notices that they are not trying to steal him. Polos knows about the custom called "angaria," which allows an important person, like a rabbi, to borrow someone's riding animal in a particular situation.
Polos is led by them to "the Lord" and gets excited because a significant person will ride him. But when he realizes that no one has ever ridden him, he becomes anxious. He asks himself, ‘What if I stumble? What if I go the wrong way? What if I walk too slowly? And what if I get whipped?’
Soon after, Polos meets a man called the Lord. He welcomes Polos with a gentle smile. He starts petting and saying, "You will be with me today. You don’t have to worry about anything. I know no one has ever ridden you before. You don’t need to be perfect. Just remember you are very important to me as you are, and I will be with you all the time. It's not about going fast; it's about going together. Let’s go to Jerusalem together for peace."
His warm touch and kind words make Polos brave. After those who brought Polos put clothes on his back, the Lord gets on him.
As they descend the mountain, Polos sees many people waiting for them. Some of them have followed the Lord from Galilee all the way here, but they don’t look tired at all. They put their coats on the road and spread leafy branches, shouting out with joy, “Hosanna! Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord! Blessed is the coming kingdom of our ancestor David! Hosanna in the highest heaven!”
It is not a fancy parade, but Polos is really thrilled. He remembers what his mom said: "Pilate’s procession was marvellous, but the people there did not look happy." On the other hand, this march is small and humble, but the people here seem joyful and hopeful.
Then a few of them come to the Lord, saying, "Teacher, please tell them to stop." They seem uneasy because it's too dangerous to say that the kingdom of their ancestor David will come through the Lord. Particularly, shouting such things during Passover, which commemorates the liberation from Egypt, is likely to be seen as resistance to the Roman Empire.
However, the Lord answers, "If these people were quiet, the stones would shout out."
Polos is surprised because, under Roman rule, most people stay silent. They may know what's right, but they do nothing because they don't want trouble. Meanwhile, the Lord doesn't seem afraid of the Roman soldiers. Polos thinks the Lord has more power than them.
After a while, the mood becomes a bit sad when the Lord starts crying while looking at Jerusalem. He seems sorry for what's going to happen there. As the little donkey feels his emotions, he becomes sad too.
By the time they enter the temple in Jerusalem, it's evening. The Lord and his twelve followers leave and go back to the town they left earlier. On the way home, Polos feels heavy-hearted as he imagines what the Lord will go through in Jerusalem from now on.
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