Commentary of St. Francis de Sales on Palm Sunday

Our Lord mounted both the Ass and the Colt - not both at the same time, but first one and then the other. The ass represents the Jewish people, and the colt, the Gentiles. The ass had already borne burdens and the colt had borne nothing, just as God had already 'burdened' the Jewish people with His law, while the Gentiles had not yet received it. Since Our Lord was coming to impose His yoke upon the Gentiles, He mounted the colt.

Our Saviour chose the ass because of its humility. He being humble came to destroy pride. The second quality is its patience. Not only is the ass humble, it is exceedingly patient, allowing itself to be beaten and maltreated without ever forgetting its origin. It neither complains, nor bites, nor kicks. It endures all with great patience. Our Lord so loved patience that He wished to become its mirror and pattern. He endured scourging and ill treatment with invincible patience; He supported so many blasphemies, so many calumnies, without saying a word. Now humility and patience have such a relation to one another that one can hardly exist without the other. He who desires to be humble must be patient enough to endure the contempt, the censure, the reprehensions that the humble suffer. Likewise, he who desires to be patient must be humble, because one cannot long support the labours and adversities of this life without the humility which makes us gentle and patient.

The third reason is that this animal is obedient, permitting us to burden it as much as we want without offering any resistance. It carries the load with remarkable submission and suppleness. So much did our divine Master love obedience and suppleness that He Himself chose to give us an example of it. So He bore the heavy burden of our iniquities and suffered for them all that we had merited. Oh, how blessed are they who are supple and submissive, who allow themselves to be commanded as others wish, subjecting themselves to all kinds of obedience without reply or excuse, supporting with good heart the burden imposed on them! Only clothed with these qualities of humility, patience and submission can we be worthy to carry Our Lord. The Saviour will mount upon our hearts and, as a divine riding master, conduct us under His obedience.

The Apostles led the ass and colt to Our Lord. If we wish to go to our Saviour, we too must allow ourselves to be loosed from our passions, our (bad) habits, affections and the bonds of sin which keep us from serving Him. This ass and colt had only the Apostles' cloaks laid on them; then Our Lord mounted them; and in this abjection and humility He made His triumphal entry into Jerusalem. Oh, how blessed are they whom our Divine Master chooses to carry Him, who are covered with the Apostles' cloaks, that is, clothed with apostolic virtues, which render them worthy of bearing our dear Saviour and of being led by Him. Blessed are they who conduct themselves here in lowliness and humility. They will be exalted in Heaven. Their patience will win for them perpetual peace and tranquility; for their obedience they shall receive a crown of glory.