THE PASSION SUNDAY

A Swamiji taught his disciples, everyday, under the tree outside his Ashram. While he taught, his ashram-cat would run around and disturb his class. So, the Swamiji gave a standing instruction to his disciples that the cat had to be tied to the tree before he started his class. 

From that day on, before the Master would commence his class, the disciples would religiously tie the cat to the tree. It became a religious custom, which the disciples strictly followed… They tied it right at the appointed hour… and, they did it with a lot of ceremony around it. Tying the cat was mandatory – very important – for them. The Master’s class would not begin, unless the cat was tied to the tree!

Sometime later, the Swamiji died. The senior-most disciple became the teacher and continued to teach the disciples. However, the tradition of tying the cat to the tree continued with the same pomp and gusto. They would tie the cat, bang on the appointed moment… and they would do it with a lot of ceremony around it. 

Then, one day, the cat died… and, a pall of gloom fell on the disciples… “What shall we do now?” they worried, “How can we have our Master’s class without the cat being tied around the tree?”

Finally, some disciples suggested that they would find a new cat and the great cat-tying custom would be continued un-broken. Thus, a new cat was now found, and the custom of tying the cat to the tree, before the Swamiji’s class, was continued. 

It brought a great amount of relief and joy in the hearts of all the disciples!

For us, the Christians, today is a ‘Palm Sunday’. It is also known as the ‘Passion Sunday’. The ‘Holy Week’ starts from today… and, will conclude with Easter on the next Sunday. 

Two thousand years ago, Jesus, as foretold in the Old Testament, had made his ‘triumphant entry’ into the city of Jerusalem on back of a donkey. The crowd had greeted Him with Palm branches, shouting "Hosanna"... "Hosanna!” It sounds a complete irony when we realize that this entry marks as Jesus’ painful journey to His Cross! The next five days were traumatic for Him… Till he was crucified on Friday… which, we Christians, call as ‘Good Friday’!

Today, a non-Christian asked me, 

looking at the Palm leaves 

the church-goers were carrying in their hands:

“What is that you are carrying?”

Honestly, no one had asked me this before… Rather, I had never bothered to ask it to my own self!

Though I explained to the friend, who meant well, I wasn’t happy with my own explanation. 

Why did I carry the Palm leaves this morning? Why did I sing ‘Hosanna’… ‘Hosanna’?

Did I, too, tie the cat to the tree, this morning?

Paul Coutinho, my very-old friend – and, now, my FB friend - is a Christian like me. I hope, he too must have collected the Palm leaves and sung ‘Hosanna’ this morning in the church. About a week ago, he had commented on one of my Posts, “Very sensible, sir. The first of April is the day we remember… what ‘we are’ the other 364 days of the year…!”

Well, I had liked what Paul had said, and promised him that my 1^st April Post would be dedicated to him.

Today is 1st April… and, I have kept my promise to my friend, Paul!

GERALA D’CUNHA

Pics.: Denzil Pais