Heppner Gazette-Times, Heppner, Oregon Wednesday, April 9, 2025 -- SEVEN
Spiritually Speaking
Father Thankachan Joseph
Jesus Needs a Donkey?
Seniors Matter March/April Menu
April 1 - Chili Relleno, Refried
Beans, Cinnamon, Rolls, Peaches
April 7 - Meatloaf, Mashed Potatoes/
Gravy, Mixed Veggies, Dessert
April 14 - BBQ Chicken, Baked Beans
Mac/Cheese, Cucumber Spears and Dessert
Upcoming Events
Fisherman’s Night - April 17th - Oysters and
Catfish Dinner starting at 6pm Lodge at 8pm
Easter Egg Hunt - April 19th at the
Fairgrounds. Photos with the Easter Bunny at
8:30 am. Easter Egg Hunt at 9am, Age Groups
0-3, 4-6, 7-9, 10+
Western Christianity all over the world is celebrating
Palm Sunday this week, with the blessing of the palms, as
we enter Holy Week celebrations. Palm Sunday reminds
us of the solemn entry of Lord Jesus into Jerusalem, the
place of peace to establish peace and harmony. “The
Lodge Hours:
April 21 - Taco Soup, Chips, Salad and
crowd who went in front of him and those who followed
Wed 4pm to close with dinner at 6pm
Dessert
him were all shouting, ‘Hosanna to the son of David!
Thurs 4pm to close (Lodge at 8pm)
Come and save us from our pathetic and pitiful condi-
April 28 - Stuffed Baked Potato Bar and
Fri & Sat 4pm to close with dinner from
tions’” (Mt. 21:9).
Dessert
5pm to 8pm off the menu
The etymological meaning of the Hebrew word
“hoshi’a na” translates in Greek as “(h)osanna.” In
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English it is known as “hosanna.” The original biblical
dictionaries of the scripture describe it as “Save!” It is
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viewed as a plea for help.
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I am sure we have all gone through this sort of tough
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time, like the crowd who followed the Lord shouted, “Ho-
sanna to the Son of David,” or like the disciples in the boat
who cried out, “Master, don’t you care that we are about
to die?” (Mk. 4:38). When we face the troubled sea and
storm, do we shout out like the people of His time shouted
out? Let us say this little soothing and comforting prayer:
“Hosanna to the son of David, Lord come to our rescue.”
Like Psalmists, together say, “Please Lord, please save
us. Please, Lord, please give us success” (Psalm 118:25).
At the blessing of the palms on Sunday, the Gospel of On March 25, 2025, MCHD shared data on social media highlighting annual clinic visits. The post
Mathew chapter 21 begins with Jesus entering a village sparked significant interest among community members, prompting us to provide additional data here
called Bethphage. What is the significance of this town? to offer a more detailed breakdown and further highlight the improvements at each clinic.
Bethphage means “house of unripe fruits.” We can clearly
see from the name that the souls in this town were suf- Total Visits Per Year – All Clinics shows the total number of medical provider and behavioral health consultant
visits completed
the year
a combined
total
clinics.
fering from deficiency: they are unripe. Jesus with com- completed
during during
the year
as a as
combined
total
for for
all all
clinics.
passion came not only to undo the power of that tree and
replace it with the tree of redemption, namely, the Cross
of Calvary, but also to raise souls from being unripe and
unfit to being ripe and fit for the harvest.
When Jesus and His disciples neared Bethphage in
Jerusalem, Jesus sent two of his disciples to untether the
ass and a colt, “untie them and bring them here to me.” The
donkey represents humanity untied from sin, humanity
tied to the Life of Jesus. We, the young and the old, are to
tie to the tree of Calvary, the cross, for salvation. Someone
may ask me why Jesus chose to travel on a donkey (and its
colt) when all other pilgrims walk barefoot to Jerusalem.
Palm Sunday reminds us of an important thing: unlike the
other kings of the world, Jesus is coming on a mule. He
shows us an example of humility, simplicity, ignorance,
diffidence and docility. We cannot even think of any king
who marches on a donkey.
Matthew’s Gospel reading (21:1-11) starts on a trium-
phant note, the celebration of a victory parade. Parades
and processions have always been part of worship in Jew-
ish and Christian tradition, and they were the most normal
way for people to acclaim the victories and triumphs of
their heroes and heroines. When the parade is over, the
heroes fade away and are forgotten, and Jesus, whom we Total Visits Per Year by Clinic shows the total number of medical provider and behavioral health consultant
acclaim in today’s victory procession, will momentarily visits completed during the year for each individual clinic.
fade into His passion and death, but then He will rise completed during the year for each individual clinic.
again and live on. What is worth noting is the attitude of
Jesus as He is about to enter the final phase of His life.
He enters the city boldly, triumphantly, fearlessly, though
He knows that He will meet His end there.
This Holy Week invites us to answer this question of
the Lord: Can you be a donkey for me this Palm Sunday?
Can you take me to the cities and towns shouting, “Ho-
sanna to the son of David”? He asks each of us to humble
ourselves from our own style of living to His style of
life. To be a donkey for the Lord, what are all the things
I need to leave aside? Lenten observances and practices
invite every one of us to have an introspection of oneself
and to get rid of those things that make us boastful, ar-
rogant, non-caring. Scripture says, “The greater you are,
the more humbly you should behave, and then you find
favor with the Lord.” (Sir 3:18). Then Hosanna will be
accomplished in our lives too.
SUMMARY OF CLINIC PERFORMANCE
The Gazette Puzzle Pop
Sharpen your mind with our Gazette Puzzle Pop!
Weekly math, word, and local trivia from our five
towns—no internet or phones allowed. Answers in
next week’s edition—grab a pencil and show off!
Total Medical Visits & Behavioral Health Visits Per Year shows separately the total number of medical provider
and behavioral
health
consultant
visits
completed during
during the
the year
year as
for for
all all
clinics.
behavioral
health
consultant
visits
completed
as a a combined
combined total
total
clinics.
Number Pattern Puzzle
Level - Moderate
Question: What’s the next number in the sequence:
1, 4, 13, 34, 73, ___?
Wordplay Whiz
Level - Moderate
Question: I am a three-letter word that means a
common animal. Add two letters to me, and I be-
come a five-letter word that means a young version
of that animal. What word am I?
Morrow County Trivia
Challenge
Total Medical Visits & Behavioral Visits Per Year By Clinic shows separately the total number of medical
provider and behavioral health consultant visits completed during the year at each clinic with an accompanying
data table. health consultant visits completed during the year at each clinic with an accompanying data table
behavioral
Level - Easy
Question: In 1903, who homesteaded the land that
would become Boardman, Oregon, spending 13
years irrigating it with his wife before later becom-
ing Oregon’s first state parks superintendent—a role
that led to a scenic coastal corridor being named
after him?
Answers from April 2nd edition
Math Challenge
1.
13
2.
26
3.
54
Wordplay Whiz
Answer: The word is few. Add “er” to get fewer—a
small number shrinking even smaller. Sneaky, huh?
Trivia
Answer: Ralph S. Hamilton
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