I didn't grow up knowing about Palm Sunday. We didn't think holy thoughts about holy days. We were every-Sunday-is-holy folks with a conceit that such a regular focus made us better than the folks who were spiritual on an annual calendar. But now. I guess because I am aging, Sundays come twice a week, and the annual holidays seem to be pretty frequent. So, I am thinking about Palm Sunday.
Jesus was kind and sweet to the people of simple hopes and nascent faith. They had little, if any, idea what Jesus was going to be about, but they showed up and showered the road with greenery and Jesus with praise. What did Jesus think of all that noise? He could have been cynical, knowing how the week was going to unfold into betrayal, inquisition, torture and crucifixion. He might have been happy knowing that the joys of the triumphal entry into Jerusalem would pale in comparison to the following Sunday's triumphant re-entry to life from the tomb.
I think it is wonderful that Jesus was willing to play the part of the earthly king coming to accept his kingdom. I think it is wonderful that he is as willing now to walk into my own conflicted heart as he was then to enter Jerusalem's contradictory scene of faith and doubt, anger and joy. I want to stand on tip-toe in my own life and watch him enter my life to accept shame for me, die for me and live for me. May each of my days, and I pray yours to, be a Palm Sunday day.
I am thrilled that Jesus enters our gathered worship, invited and praised, willing to be honored by the imperfect, but eager voices of his people. May he always enter. May every Sunday be a Palm Sunday for us in our churches.
"Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!"
1 comment:
Good reading. Thanks for the message.
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