Tomorrow is Palm Sunday. We remember Jesus’s Triumphal Entry into Jerusalem as we kick off Holy Week.
They brought it to Jesus, threw their cloaks on the colt and put Jesus on it. As he went along, people spread their cloaks on the road. When he came near the place where the road goes down the Mount of Olives, the whole crowd of disciples began joyfully to praise God in loud voices for all the miracles they had seen: “Blessed is the king who comes in the name of the Lord!” “Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!” Some of the Pharisees in the crowd said to Jesus, “Teacher, rebuke your disciples!”“I tell you,” he replied, “if they keep quiet, the stones will cry out.”
Luke 19:35-40 NIV
It is our tradition at St. Timothy’s Anglican Church on Palm Sunday to begin the service outside. We then process together into our sanctuary waving our palms with regal marching music playing as we honor our King Jesus and his entry into Jerusalem. This year due to the corona virus our Palm Sunday will look different. We have some dedicated people who have put together recorded clips of some of our parishioners and their individual procession with palm leaves so we may still have procession of sorts with our online Sunday worship. There have also been many people on social media that were moved to place palm branches or any branches we could find on our door this Palm Sunday to honor and proclaim our King Jesus. Unable to find anything that resembled palm branches and eager to participate I saw a green sheet of foam in my garage. I took what I had and made my own.
I took what I had and transformed it into something that resembled palm leaves. They are not quite fit for a King, but thankfully my King is very gracious and knows my heart. I know it is not quite the triumphal entry any of us had planned. Reflecting on this, I think of the people in Jerusalem on that actual Palm Sunday.
They had no idea what would unfold that next week. Their expectations of this King they praised and hailed on that Palm Sunday would not be met. Jesus would not be a military leader that used power to overthrow the Roman government and bring peace. His Kingdom was not of this earth. He would instead demonstrate meekness and submit himself the unblemished Passover lamb to death on a cross. Instead of a government, he would overthrow sin, death, and Satan’s power over humanity. His peace was not temporal but eternal and not of this world.
If we look at Jesus through the open of eyes of faith and truth we see he exceeded the expectations of the people. So as we enter this Holy Week that was full of expectation and is met with many unknowns, let us herald our King. Let us wait in hopeful expectation as His peace goes beyond understanding of pandemics or any other situation. Let us proclaim our King Jesus who offers a peace that is eternal and a joy that is invincible. Hosanna! Hosanna in the highest!
Stabbing Windmills 