Tomorrow is Palm Sunday.
For the past few years, I have avoided the falderal. Mainly because I think our American Christianity misses the point.
We are celebrating in the same way the Jews did in Jesus’ day.
Palm leaves and singing.
Children dancing in the aisles.
Choirs singing Hosanna.
We walk out of the service excited about the week to come. It’s a holiday week. Kids home from school, vacation. Time off from work. A Big Easter dinner and egg hunt. Family Gathering. All the trappings and glitter.
Keep in mind, I’m not saying these things are bad. I think they are wonderful.
Just…
Every year, as I listen to sermons about Jesus riding on the donkey colt in the Triumphal entry through the Eastern Gate of Jerusalem. I just never see what everyone else does.
I don’t see we Christians knowing everything now That Jesus WAS entering Jerusalem as a Triumphant King, of an Eternal Heavenly Kingdom. Jesus was Our Christian King. Those poor, simple Jews were blind, looking only for an Earthly king.
I see something different. To me, Jesus was following protocol.
Get this donkey- “Hey you two Disciples, go to that village up there. Find a donkey with a colt next to her at this house. Untie them and bring them here to us. If anyone says anything, just say… ‘The Lord needs them and whoever they belong to will let you take them.’”
Disciples get the donkeys. No problems. -Check
Disciples: “Ok, well, let’s put our coats on him.”
Coats on donkey - Check
No clear announcement, other than in the folklore and religious texts. They said someday a man would come and perform miracles. That man would one day show up at a Passover time and ride on a colt with coats on it into Jerusalem through a gate on the East side of the city. The stories suggested that this man would free the Israelites from foreign rule, at this moment Rome. Israel would be a free and independent country again. Easy Peasy!
They would finally be a Political Superpower, if you will.
This man would come to save their city from evil invaders. Cleanse their home from sinners. No more sickness, or poor, or hungry or suffering. All would be right with God.
These people lining the road, celebrating, waving Palm Branches. Heralding a new age of political, social, emotional, spiritual, physical, economic, and religious freedom. These people, including the Disciples, thought Jesus was the man who would solve their every problem.
Their man of the hour.
But what does Jesus say when HE gets to the top of the hill? When he overlooks the city of Jerusalem? What does Jesus think of this Triumphal Entry?
He wept for all those people.
The celebrating masses, including the disciples.
Why?
Because they misunderstood who he was. They projected onto him what they wanted him to be. They didn’t take the time to know who he was. They wanted peace in their lives at no cost to themselves. The people just wanted a fancy magic trick and for all the bad things to disappear.
They wanted the easy way out of a difficult situation.
I really don’t understand why we celebrate Palm Sunday.
It was a day that made Jesus cry.
I always feel somber and reflective. Are Christians today so different from the crowds or the disciples of that day? Am I? I wonder what it is that I am missing about Jesus’ message to me? How am I misrepresenting Him in my life?
I take this week to think about these things. To prepare for Maundy Thursday.
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