Palm Sunday: The day of the chameleons

All the four canonical gospels tell of the Lord Jesus' triumphant entry into the Holy City of Jerusalem. It is told in Matthew 21:1-17; in Mark 11:1-11; in Luke 19:28-48 and in John 12:12-50. That entry started the week when he was arrested and tried in a mock trial where his persecutors also acted as judge and executioner, and he was ultimately convicted, sentenced to death, and crucified.

That triumphant entry, now called the Palm Sunday, was prophesied 550 years earlier in the Old Testament by the Prophet Zechariah (Chapter 9, Verse 9) when it was written: " Rejoice greatly, Oh daughter of Zion; Shout oh, Daughter of Jerusalem: Behold thy King come unto thee. He is just and bringing salvation, lowly and riding upon an ass, even upon a colt the foal of an ass."

The people were holding palms as they shouted: "Hosanna, Son of David!" The Greco-Roman culture and history indicated that the palms were symbols of victory. But that triumphant entry of Jesus and the glorious welcome and adoration by the people only exacerbated the anger and the spite of the scribes, Pharisees and high priests, which led to the arrest and ultimate crucifixion of Jesus.

The same people who were yelling "Hosanna" later shouted "crucify him" when asked by Pilate what he would do to an innocent man. This scenario is very prevalent nowadays when people change their colors like chameleons depending on their motives and fears. The same people, the ones the Lord healed, the ones whom Jesus helped, rejoiced with the Lord on Palm Sunday, would turn against him in a matter of three or four days. These were the chameleons who were afraid of the high priests and the Roman governor. People change their stand on certain issues in order to save themselves from political backlash and persecutions. These things happen even today because the lives of most of us are not centered on core principles and values. Our decisions are not purpose driven. We are too gripped by fears because our faith is weak and vulnerable.

We are not like Dimas the good thief, or the good rebel who, while crucified on the cross beside Jesus, declared his faith openly. He made a crucial choice moments before he died. Most of us are like Estas, the bad thief or the bad rebel who, until the last moment, persisted in his fear even on the brink of death.

Estas was afraid to declare his trust in Jesus because the Roman soldiers were right in front of the three crosses, carrying their spears. We are not like John, the Beloved who, even in the face of all risks, took a bold stand by standing in front the cross, never afraid, while all the other apostles, including the anointed leader, Peter, already went hiding. Like the three Marys, John never abandoned his master. Most of us easily abandon our Lord when faced with dangers and difficulties.

So today, Palm Sunday, we see politicians inside churches, mosques, temples and synagogues. They want to be seen with the priests, imams, and pastors. They want to be seen by the people in their finest clothing and in their luxurious cars. They are very conscious of their looks and their projections of artificial appearances. But these politicians who keep on promising paradise to the naive and unquestioning people, are the same Judases who will sell the masses for 30 pieces of silver. These trapos are like Peter who pledge to protect Jesus and would even use the sword to show off their loyalty. But on the crucial day of reckoning, these politicians are going to deny the people, not once, not twice but 70 times seven.

We are a world of hypocrites, of self-righteous demagogues and masked and fake leaders who, like the Pied Piper of Hamelin, would entice the people with sweet words of promises only to lead them to damnation and eternal anguish. Today is the day of the jackals, of the scoundrels dressed in white robes, of scalawags in gowns and suits, and of chameleons who are out to change colors at the drop of a hat. Palm Sunday is supposed to be the triumphant entry of Jesus to his beloved city of Jerusalem. But the whole city and the whole world are filled with Estases, Judases, and Caiaphases. The good ones have gone hiding for fear of truth and judgment.