as a fulfilment of the prophecy of Zechariah, where the Messiah will ride into Jerusalem on a young colt. Saint Matthew, in his enthusiasm for relating the story and its link with the prophet, leaves us with the impression that Jesus was riding both a foal and an ass at the same time! His triumphant journey on this most versatile of animals is symbolic of the kingdom that Jesus proclaims.

Christ's rule is not to be heralded like that of a mighty, conquering, war-like leader. The kingdom He represents is "not of this world". The procession into Jerusalem aroused interest and expectancy of the highest kind, aimed at substantiating his claim to be the Messiah. Misunderstood perhaps by some like Judas who hoped that his kingdom might take ona political as well as a religious meaning, it was nevertheless seen as representing the true nature of his divine calling, orchestrated by the crowd with their cheering, taking branches from the trees, and laying their garments out before him along the way. Sadly this peaceful understanding of his role has not always been respected by some militant forms of Christianity.

This symbolism left a strong impression on the mind of the crowd. The Pharisees present at the scene pleaded with Jesus to tell the crowds to be quiet, but in reply Jesus says "even the stones will cry out". In other words, what he has done speaks louder than words.

The use of symbolism in order to get over a religious or ethical message was something that several former