“If anyone asks you, ‘Why are you untying it?’ you shall say this, ‘The Lord has need of it.’”  — Luke 19:30

I am haunted by these words.

In the context of the Passion narrative, as we read it on Palm Sunday, perhaps we may see these words as a small detail in the overall story of Jesus’ triumphant entry into Jerusalem. However, it is worth noting that all three synoptic Gospels mention Jesus’ words, and they are nearly identical to each other. Luke and Mark include the fact that the disciples were in fact asked why they were untying the donkey, and that they did reply, “The Lord has need of it.” 

It seems the Gospel writers themselves were struck by these words. They recalled, perhaps, Psalm 50, “For every beast of the forest is mine, the cattle on a thousand hills. I know all the birds of the air, and all that moves in the field is mine” (Psalm 50:10-11). God reminds us that he is perfect and has no “need” of anything. “Do I eat the flesh of bulls or drink the blood of he-goats?” (Psalm 50:13)

What “need” can he have of us? Zechariah gives us the answer, “Behold: your king is coming to you, a just savior is he, humble, and riding on a donkey” (Zechariah 9:9).

Why is this the answer? Because in this one verse, we learn the three things necessary about our Master. 

First, that he is humble. 

Second, because of this humility, he will use whatever means necessary to accomplish his end. He doesn’t choose a majestic war horse, but a faithful, humble, lowly, donkey. 

Finally, most importantly, we learn his end: that he comes to us.

As unfathomable as it may seem, this is the answer: Our Master’s “need” is to come to us. Every means, every other “need” he asks for, in his earthly ministry, ultimately is to fulfill the purpose of coming closer to us. 

We see this clearly played out, when we consider, briefly, each occasion that Jesus asks for something as recorded in the Gospels. 

“Fill the jars with water” (John 2:7) to the servants at the wedding in Cana. This “need” results in his first miracle, so that “his disciples believed in him” and were drawn to him. 

“Give me a drink” (John 4:7) to the woman at the well. Yet, it certainly appears he never receives this drink. That was never the point. He asked this of her so that he could reveal, “I who speak to you am he” and to offer her living water: himself.

“Bring them here to me” (Matthew 14:18) to the disciples when he asks for the five loaves and two fish. The crowd is hungry, yes, but that is not ultimately the reason why Jesus “needs” this food. He feeds them, so that, “They need not go away” (Matthew 14:16) from him. “Abide in me, and I in you” (John 15:4).

“Make haste and come down; for I must stay at your house today” (Luke 19:5) to Zacchaeus. Obviously, Our Lord is not merely looking for lodging. He tells us precisely the reason for his “need” to visit Zacchaeus, “Today salvation has come to this house. For the Son of man came to seek and to save the lost.”

“Untie it and bring it here” (Luke 19:30) to the disciples when he instructs them to bring the donkey, so that he can come to his people as their “Just savior.”

“‘The Teacher says to you, Where is the guest room, where I am to eat the Passover with my disciples?” (Luke 22:11) to the disciples when he instructs them to go prepare the Passover in the upper room. The Teacher had need of this room so that from Holy Thursday night, until this world’s end, he would be able to come to us in the Sacrament of Love. 

In this same upper room, Jesus will enter, though the doors are locked, and institute the sacrament of reconciliation.

For Our Lord will come to us. 

In our prayers, works, joys, and sufferings, he will come to us. These we offer to him, with certain hope, that in some way “The Lord has need of it.” 

The Lord has need of our joy. The Lord has need of our sadness. The Lord has need of everything offered to him — for he will waste no means to come to us. 

Hold nothing back then. 

I am reminded of a scene I have always loved in C.S. Lewis’ “A Horse and His Boy.” The good and faithful horse, Hwin, has just seen Aslan.

Then Hwin, though shaking all over, gave a strange little neigh and trotted across to the Lion.

"Please," she said, "you're so beautiful. You may eat me if you like. I'd sooner be eaten by you than fed by anyone else."

"Dearest daughter," said Aslan, planting a lion's kiss on her twitching, velvet nose, "I knew you would not be long in coming to me. Joy shall be yours."

Hold nothing back.

For what greater joy could be found than in some small way giving to the Master whatever he needs? 

St. Therese writes on this same theme:

I had offered myself, for some time now, to the Child Jesus as his little plaything. [T]o use me like a little ball of no value which he could throw on the ground, push with his foot … or press to his heart if it pleased him; in a word, I wanted to amuse little Jesus.

“I had offered myself.” Hold nothing back.

For, the final occasion when Jesus asks for something is upon the cross: “I thirst” (John 19:28). St. Therese writes:

And every hour I hear Thy voice implore:
“I thirst  —  I thirst  —  I thirst  —  for love always!”

Every other “need” of Our Lord he uses so that he may draw close to us. As he is dying, he tells us of his final “need.” 

Us. 

The Lord has need of us.

“If anyone asks you, ‘Why are you untying it?’ you shall say this, ‘The Lord has need of it.’”

If anyone asks us why we are joyful, or suffering, or rejoicing, or mourning, or lonely, or comforted, we should say this, “The Lord has need of it. The Lord has need of me.”