Then they brought the colt to Jesus and threw their cloaks on it; and he sat on it. Many people spread their cloaks on the road, and others spread leafy branches that they had cut in the fields. Then those who went ahead and those who followed were shouting, “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!”- Mark 11:7-10

I have a love-hate relationship with Alex. Well, hate is too strong a word. I can’t really say that I dislike him as well. I get annoyed with him. We see him all the time begging for food and money. We usually walk up to him and say, “Hello.” He gives us his usual blank stare and then continues to do whatever he is doing. He gives us nothing in return. No “hello”, no smile, just complete silence and indifference. We know him well enough not to take offense. However, sometimes it is hard. I mentioned before that he was severely neglected as a child and consequently he has become socially awkward. He constantly begs for money. It doesn’t really help. It makes him treat people as a mere means to an end. If you add cocaine to this mix, the situation gets even more complex.

Today, however, was the first time he approached us after two months.

He came up with another boy. the other boy was new and behaved in a manner that revealed some signs of being mentally challenged. Alex introduced Lucas to us. He ran away from an orphanage yesterday. We asked Lucas about his orphanage and he got defensive. He was suspicious of us. After all, he just met us. He thought that we were going to report him. Alex quickly assured him. He explained that we are here to help and guide them. He further mentioned that we don’t force anyone to do anything they feel uncomfortable doing. He emphasized that we are completely trustworthy. This is interesting. Alex is more aware of what we do than we realized. Besides, there was something remarkably different about him today. His eyes were dancing with excitement. His face lit up with his beautiful smile which has been dormant for the past few months. Alex felt alive again and he did not need any drugs.

Alex asked if I had any letters for him. I know that this is quite random but Alex is just like that. I happened to have an old Christmas card. He took it from my hand and showed it to Lucas. He explained that people from Florida write in English and they pray for him and the other children and teens. He was really impressed that I spoke English. I don’t think that Alex has figured out that I am not a Brazilian despite my accent. Then, he asked if I could get someone to write to Lucas. He thought that it would do him some good. Our new friend looked horrified. He said, “No!” with much conviction. I tried to placate him by saying that I won’t do anything without his permission. Besides, all these letters flow naturally out of our relationship with the children. I explained to Alex that Lucas needs to know us first. Lucas just sat there looking very uncomfortable. He was afraid and lost but tried to put up a tough exterior. Even Alex who is usually clueless of such things ‘whispered’ loudly to us that he thought Lucas was not right in the head. He was worried that the older teens might take advantage of him.

Suddenly all the images of a grumpy and unfriendly Alex vanished from my mind. They were replaced with memories of the Alex that ran up to us and asked us to help a mute boy. I recalled how one day Alex went up to a sick homeless adult and offered him some juice. There is something new to build upon. He wants to make sure that this boy who is not “all right in the head” will be safe and protected. Alex doesn’t have a messiah complex. He is not emotionally mature enough to develop such concept or desire. He is really just a good person hidden under all the side-effects of being neglected since birth. In moments like this, God gives Alex the opportunity to allow the goodness in him to shine. It seems like Alex never lets such moments slip by even though he is not the most socially aware teen. He is sensitive to pain and suffering and tries to help those whom he perceive as being in worse circumstances than him.

Mary tried to get Alex’s attention, not an easy task. Finally she told him, “Alex, you are a good person.” His eyes got brighter and he became more alive.

There is a strange connection to Palm Sunday. This was not the route I wanted to take in my reflection of this blessed day. However, Alex made me take a look at this episode from a different window.

I always thought that it was bizarre that people who welcomed Jesus with such love and devotion could so quickly turn against him. I thought perhaps that they were being hypocritical at first. Then their true nature was revealed at Jesus’ trial. However, Jesus always exposes hypocrisy and he did not consider their joyous reception as such. The people genuinely recognized in Jesus the triumphant messiah. They saw beyond his humble entrance on a mule. They saw that this King did not need the outward appearances of power and might. It was all within Him. He was the Light that they have been waiting for. They recognized it. They rejoiced in it. However, it was not enough for them to stop the Cross. It was not enough for them to stand up for their King whom they received with such joy and jubilation.

If we are honest, Palm Sunday reflects our human frailty. How many times do we receive a person with warmth and affection and then later in life, we find that we are no longer on talking terms with the person. Some of the worst enemies of people used to be their closest friends and even lovers. Just because we are excited about knowing and loving someone, it doesn’t mean that we will continue to see them in this loving light forever. I don’t know why but, as humans, we seem to vacillate between love and hate so easily.

I have this type of complex relationship with Alex. However, I realized in every genuine encounter we have with him we discover that the “hate” diminishes and the love grows stronger. If I had based my relationship on mere experiences, then I would have discarded my friendship with Alex a long time ago. However, our relationship with him grows because we are given special moments where we encounter the real Alex trapped in his body.

Many people are excited about Jesus today. Many Christians sing enthusiastically about God’s love and compassion in their churches with such passion and sincerity, we would think that they would willing be His instrument of love to those who are despised in the world. Unfortunately, we know from reality that many would step of their churches and be the first to cast the stone. Palm Sunday is a prophetic warning that just because we are enthusiastic about our faith doesn’t mean that we are living it. Being passionate is not the same as being a disciple.

I am not sure if the disciples of Jesus participated in the revelry when Jesus entered the city triumphantly. Perhaps they were a little confused. They heard Jesus talk about his imminent death and yet the crowd seemed to love him. They were just caught in the experience of the moment. The disciples knew Jesus and they had an inkling that all was not well.

I learn with our children and teens that there is a different between an encounter and experience. My daily experience with them could be pleasant or unpleasant and it depends a lot of outward circumstances. I can come to conclusions about their characters based on these experiences. I might vacillate between love and hate if I judge them merely based on experiences. However, encounters are divine moments. God gives us these moments so that we can glance into the souls of these children. It is in these moments where we can see God’s presence in their lives. Encounters help us overcome the cycle of love-hate.

The crowd had a pleasant experience with Jesus and then the whole thing turned sour. They were stuck in the cycle of love-hate. The disciples who were given a glimpse of Jesus’ true nature understood the Jesus was their only hope for Life. Judas was the only one who threw it away and he realized it. Everyday I am confronted with experiences, they may be good or bad. However, God wants us to wait for something better. He wants us to have genuine encounters with the children and these will help us understand the true meaning of Love.