Right-ness vs. righteousness: the face of hate

“Do you think that I cannot call upon my Father and he will not provide me at this moment with more than twelve legions of angels? But then how would the scriptures be fulfilled which say that it must come to pass in this way?” (Matthew 26:53-54)

Palm Sunday approaches, and we once again consider the dichotomy of Jesus’ celebrated entrance into Jerusalem and the cruelty of His exit from Jerusalem onto the Mount of Calvary. 

The very large crowd spread their cloaks on the road, while others cut branches from the trees and strewed them on the road. The crowds preceding him and those following kept crying out and saying: 

“Hosanna to the Son of David;

blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord; 

hosanna in the highest.” 

And when he entered Jerusalem the whole city was shaken and asked, “Who is this?”  And the crowds replied, “This is Jesus the prophet, from Nazareth in Galilee.” (Matthew 21:8-11)

Everyone sung with joy as they walked along their Messiah into Jerusalem, so much so that Jerusalem shook. So welcoming! Who were these people? By now, those who wanted a messiah that was a political savior were disappointed, as it was clear Jesus was not. Perhaps many wanted to be part of this ‘movement’ of the miracle worker and not be left out. After all, by word-of-mouth and without any desire of His own, Jesus had somewhat gained celebrity status. 

Now on the occasion of the feast the governor was accustomed to release to the crowd one prisoner whom they wished. And at that time they had a notorious prisoner called Barabbas. “Which one do you want me to release to you, Barabbas, or Jesus called Messiah?” For he knew that it was out of envy that they had handed him over.  (Matthew 27:15-18) 

…“Which of the two do you want me to release to you?” They answered, “Barabbas!” Pilate said to them, “Then what shall I do with Jesus called Messiah?” They all said, “Let him be crucified!” But he said, “Why? What evil has he done?” They only shouted the louder, “Let him be crucified!… And the whole people said in reply, “His blood be upon us and upon our children.” (Matthew 27:21-23, 25)

A complete change of heart and mind in such a short span of time…why? Why was it so easy for the devil to draw them into this hysteria, into a state so emotional that Pilate was afraid a riot would break out? 

Then he [Satan] led him to Jerusalem, made him stand on the parapet of the temple, and said to him, “If you are the Son of God, throw yourself down from here” (Luke 4:9)

Satan’s tactics didn’t change. He simply used people as his instruments…

Those passing by reviled him, shaking their heads and saying, “You who would destroy the temple and rebuild it in three days, save yourself, if you are the Son of God, [and] come down from the cross!” Likewise the chief priests with the scribes and elders mocked him and said, “He saved others; he cannot save himself. So he is the king of Israel! Let him come down from the cross now, and we will believe in him. He trusted in God; let him deliver him now if he wants him. For he said, ‘I am the Son of God.’” The revolutionaries who were crucified with him also kept abusing him in the same way. (Matthew 27:39-44) 

“Wait, let us see if Elijah comes to save him.” (Matthew 27:49)

Prove yourself, they all said. As if the last three years of miracles, signs, and teachings hadn’t yet proved His Divinity. They taunted and shouted at Him to come down from the cross, prove He is the Son of God, let God save Him. The same tactic the devil had used on Jesus in the desert when he tried to tempt Jesus at the beginning of His public ministry. It didn’t work then; maybe the voraciousness of the crowd would challenge Him this time. 

This is what hate looks like. And how easily we can turn from being in a state of grace into the face of hate. It exemplifies the Two Standards of St. Ignatius of Loyola. We join in Jesus’ camp aspiring to live by His standard, that which brings true peace and love. The enemy is across the battlefield in his camp of minions and their human agents—people he uses as his instruments of harm. Between the two camps is the battlefield of life with all its joys, challenges, and temptations. We can be deeply seated in Jesus’ camp under His protection. But if we take our eyes off of Him and look around, our enemy sees that and he will give us something to look at personalized specifically to our temptations, vulnerabilities, and wounds. Becoming his target doesn’t require leaving camp altogether. No, once we just begin to rise up on both feet, he has us in his sites. 

We receive Holy Communion in mass—named “Holy” “Communion” because it makes us what it is—Holy—and brings us into spiritual communion through Christ. What happens next? Do I look around and see someone I want to catch after mass to talk with—are they more important than Jesus who is literally in my mouth and body right now? Or do I see someone I want to avoid, my hard heart preventing the sanctifying grace of the Eucharist from entering into my soul? Technically, I do all the right things to be in a ‘state of grace’ as it’s called: assist in mass every Sunday and on Holy Days of Obligation, stay out of mortal sin and go to confession, receive the Eucharist at least in the Easter season but actually year-round, fast and abstain when required, and share my talent and resources with my parish and the greater body of Christ. But is my faith just about checking off the boxes and making sure I avoid Hell? Is it all about me? 

Little by little, Satan can lure even the best-intended Christians into his camp, and they won’t even realize they’re in it. They will be so sure of their own ‘right-ness’, that they are the ones doing God’s will in the world. In doing so, they begin to lose their righteousness grown in them by grace. Their mind and heart becomes conformed to Satan’s rather than transformed by Jesus.  And it all starts when, sitting in Jesus’ camp, they began to look around… 

Today we are surrounded by faces of hate similar to those of the people jeering at Jesus every step of His Passion and crucifixion. Consider how our Blessed Mother Mary, Mary Magdalene, and St. John stood out amongst the others. Despite being overwhelmed by shock and grief, their cries were cries of love. Far from darkness, every tear would have been illuminated by love. We have that same opportunity today to be vessels of grace illuminated by His love in a very dark world. 

Take time this Holy Week to sit in quiet gazing upon the crucifix. This is how precious every soul is to Jesus, yours and mine included. 

Ad Majorem Dei Gloriam 😊

 p.s. To transition from Lent into Holy Week, the free online retreat Ecce Homo begins Thursday! https://spiritualdirection.com/eccehomo

The Norbertine Cannonesses publish a beautiful chant monthly, all can be found here https://www.norbertinecanonesses.org/life/chant

Institute of Catholic Culture provides the wisdom of Dom Prosper Gueranger to meditate on https://instituteofcatholicculture.org/passiontide-2026

(Images: top: Jesus entry into Jerusalem by Benjamin Haydon, Public domain, via Wikimedia Commons ; middle: Jesus carrying His cross from Mel’s Gibson’s Passion of the Christ via HollywoodReporter.com )