And the multitudes that went before, and that followed, cried, saying,
`Hosanna to the son of David; Blessed is he who comes in the name of the
Lord; Hosanna in the highest.'
Matthew 21:9.
The multitude cried out the more, saying, let Him be crucified.
Matthew 27:23.
Easter Week begins and ends with demonstrations from the Jewish people and highlights the fickleness of the people in contrast to the constancy of Jesus. On Palm Sunday Jesus resolves to ride into Jerusalem and expose Himself publicly, even though He realized the dangers as the Jewish religious leaders have been desperate for His arrest, especially after the raising of Lazarus from the dead. From the Roman Governor’s view, this was a dangerous time to keep peace and order with the impending Jewish Passover festival and the last thing the Roman authorities wanted was a riot stirred up by religious fanaticism. So when Jesus enters Jerusalem the atmosphere is tense.
As Jesus set out from the Mount of Olives for the final descent into the holy city many people had gathered on roadside to welcome Him. Many of these had no doubt witnessed His healings, and listened to His preaching, but some perhaps were there to have a glimpse of this Jesus who had been causing a stir by His rather radical teaching. As crowds go this would not have much different from any other crowd. The majority found themselves going along with the general consensus, which was to acknowledge joyfully Jesus as a king. Yet within five days the consensus changed.
The central figure of Palm Sunday is Jesus. His teaching on this day is simple for His followers, but difficult for the bystander: peace, illustrated by riding into Jerusalem on a donkey, not a horse. The Prince of Peace proclaims that His kingdom is one of peace. There is no violence, no retaliation, no retribution in His kingdom. Two wrongs never make a right under any circumstance in His kingdom. Palm Sunday teaches us to absorb all the hurts, heartaches and the heaviness, otherwise peace will never reign in us or in the world. Peace comes from turning the other cheek, going the extra mile and giving and giving of self and time to others until we are drained just as our Lord was drained for us.
So Palm Sunday gives us the opportunity to examine our own faithfulness to Christ. The test doesn’t come on Palm Sunday but comes the next day. Are we prepared to stay with Our Lord in Jerusalem as the atmosphere changes towards Him? Do we dare to stand by Him as He faces constant conflict with the religious leaders? Do we love Him enough to want to bathe His weary feet? Do we stay with Him in prayer in the Garden? Are our bodies and souls drained as He dies on the Cross? It is rather easy to strive towards holiness when everything seems to be going well. What about when we have to suffer endlessly whether through physical or spiritual pain, especially if it is inflicted on us by others, what then?
Has our faith rooted itself deeply enough to help us cope with hard situations, so that they do not control us?
Hosanna, blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!
`Hosanna to the son of David; Blessed is he who comes in the name of the
Lord; Hosanna in the highest.'
Matthew 21:9.
The multitude cried out the more, saying, let Him be crucified.
Matthew 27:23.
Easter Week begins and ends with demonstrations from the Jewish people and highlights the fickleness of the people in contrast to the constancy of Jesus. On Palm Sunday Jesus resolves to ride into Jerusalem and expose Himself publicly, even though He realized the dangers as the Jewish religious leaders have been desperate for His arrest, especially after the raising of Lazarus from the dead. From the Roman Governor’s view, this was a dangerous time to keep peace and order with the impending Jewish Passover festival and the last thing the Roman authorities wanted was a riot stirred up by religious fanaticism. So when Jesus enters Jerusalem the atmosphere is tense.
As Jesus set out from the Mount of Olives for the final descent into the holy city many people had gathered on roadside to welcome Him. Many of these had no doubt witnessed His healings, and listened to His preaching, but some perhaps were there to have a glimpse of this Jesus who had been causing a stir by His rather radical teaching. As crowds go this would not have much different from any other crowd. The majority found themselves going along with the general consensus, which was to acknowledge joyfully Jesus as a king. Yet within five days the consensus changed.
The central figure of Palm Sunday is Jesus. His teaching on this day is simple for His followers, but difficult for the bystander: peace, illustrated by riding into Jerusalem on a donkey, not a horse. The Prince of Peace proclaims that His kingdom is one of peace. There is no violence, no retaliation, no retribution in His kingdom. Two wrongs never make a right under any circumstance in His kingdom. Palm Sunday teaches us to absorb all the hurts, heartaches and the heaviness, otherwise peace will never reign in us or in the world. Peace comes from turning the other cheek, going the extra mile and giving and giving of self and time to others until we are drained just as our Lord was drained for us.
So Palm Sunday gives us the opportunity to examine our own faithfulness to Christ. The test doesn’t come on Palm Sunday but comes the next day. Are we prepared to stay with Our Lord in Jerusalem as the atmosphere changes towards Him? Do we dare to stand by Him as He faces constant conflict with the religious leaders? Do we love Him enough to want to bathe His weary feet? Do we stay with Him in prayer in the Garden? Are our bodies and souls drained as He dies on the Cross? It is rather easy to strive towards holiness when everything seems to be going well. What about when we have to suffer endlessly whether through physical or spiritual pain, especially if it is inflicted on us by others, what then?
Has our faith rooted itself deeply enough to help us cope with hard situations, so that they do not control us?
Hosanna, blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!
