Day 120 - Hosanna: Understanding What Comes Right After

 Focal Scripture: John 12:12-19

    Hello everybody, my name is Bryan, and welcome to Bible Scoop. Today we turn our heads towards John, its 12th chapter verses, 12-19. https://www.bible.com/bible/296/JHN.12.12-19

    In this scripture, we can see the Triumphant Entry of Jesus into Jerusalem, which we Christians celebrate joyfully. This entry or a day at church with the Holy Mass today is very special as it sets a starting point for the Passion Week. This particular day is called Hosanna. When we say the word Hosanna, what comes to our mind is Jesus’ Triumphant Entry into Jerusalem. But God, through this Holy Day, is telling us that this is a reflection of the life of humans.

    The actual meaning of Hosanna as per the English Dictionary is an expression of adoration, praise, or joy. So what God is telling us is that in life, when we have mostly everything to be happy about, when we’ve reached that level of height, people around us will start to worship us or adore us or in other words, “sing Hosanna” towards us.

    This is what happened in the case of Jesus Christ here, his triumphant entry into Jerusalem was the most unique, most praised, and the non-stop glory for the people who joined together to sing Hosanna towards Jesus. And, this was one of the best ways a person could be praised. After this big amount of Hosanna praise, what happened? The Passion Week happened.

    What is the Passion Week? This is the most sorrowful week in human history. Jesus Christ, who was praised and sang Hosanna towards, was ordered to be crucified on the Cross by the same people who praised him as King of the Jews when they shouted on the top of their lungs. Jesus Christ knew and understood that a time of darkness or a time of gloom was going to lurk on him after Hosanna, no matter how loud and sincere these shouts of praise could get.

    What God is telling us through this is that we at times when we do have everything, people around will start to praise us for all the good things we have achieved, they will start to adore us in a way. But we have to understand that a time of darkness or gloom is surely to come after that praise or joy. Jesus Christ went through the most unimaginable or darkest time of darkness as his brothers (Disciples) ran away from him, establishing the fact that they had no connection with him. We at times feel very sad and depressed when that particular time of darkness enters our lives. 

    Even at that time, Jesus Christ on the Cross prayed to God to forgive them as they did not know what they were doing. (Luke 23:34 https://www.bible.com/bible/296/LUK.23.34) Jesus Christ could turn insult into grace, and that is the reason he prayed for them. So Jesus Christ is telling us to learn to develop that particular ability. In our case, it is to turn that darkness (loneliness, sorrow, etc.) into light. 

    When we develop that ability and pray to God about it, that is when our spirituality as a Christian grows even stronger. And, when that happens, we resurrect from all our sins and become a new being in Christ, just as Jesus Christ resurrected on the third day after his Crucifixion.

    So friends from today onwards, let us remember that we will have days of Hosanna and praise towards us by people around us, but let us not forget that right after that, a time of darkness is behind us and is on the way. Let us not forget to turn all that darkness into light, where we will be given an open door to resurrect and be a new being in Christ. We at times feel very sorrowful and depressed when we go through that time of darkness or gloom, but God is telling us that we should not, as we have to know that it will surely come after every song of Hosanna you hear. With that, let us not also forget that this day of Hosanna, Jesus Christ’s Triumphant Entry into Jerusalem gives us surely a big, UNDERSTANDING OF WHAT COMES NEXT!