April 17th - Reflection

Palm Sunday
Matthew 21:1-11 (NRSV)
Jesus enters Jerusalem
When they had come near Jerusalem and had reached Bethphage, at the Mount of Olives, Jesus sent two disciples, saying to them, "Go into the village ahead of you, and immediately you will find a donkey tied, and a colt with her; untie them and bring them to me. If anyone says anything to you, just say this, 'The Lord needs them.' And he will send them immediately." This took place to fulfill what had been spoken through the prophet, saying,
"Tell the daughter of Zion,
Look, your king is coming to you,
humble, and mounted on a donkey,
and on a colt, the foal of a donkey."

The disciples went and did as Jesus had directed them; they brought the donkey and the colt, and put their cloaks on them, and he sat on them. A very large crowd spread their cloaks on the road, and others cut branches from the trees and spread them on the road. The crowds that went ahead of him and that followed were shouting,
"Hosanna to the Son of David!
Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord!

Hosanna in the highest heaven!"

When he entered Jerusalem, the whole city was in turmoil, asking, "Who is this?" The crowds were saying, "This is the prophet Jesus from Nazareth in Galilee."

Reflection
Not only were the donkey and colt going to work, Jesus was heading out to do his most important work for creation. I wonder what that donkey and the colt were thinking. Did they question what all the hoopla was about? Their job was to carry a load. A load that sat on some garments spread between them. This load was not heavy enough to need two work animals. But maybe the work facing Jesus was the real heavy work to be carried.

So in this passage, Jesus goes to do some heavy work. And the people celebrate. They celebrate not knowing the depth and the meaning and the impact the work Jesus would have on the world. The people celebrate one last time, like they think it should be. But the Lord has something far more shocking and something that has an eternal impact on all of us in store.

Hosanna in the highest heaven! The Savior is here! Thanks be to God!

Prayer
Lord, how do you face us when we don't understand? I'm the greatest of those that have a hard time understanding. How do you deal with me when I don't take your Word for the truth it means? What do you do with me when I twist it into something it is not? Lead us to truthfulness in ourselves and our actions that we may see your saving grace and not our sinful actions. You are the Savior to which we proclaim Hosanna! --- Amen