Palm Sunday Reflections
During the past five weeks folks gathering at the Big Red Church have been noticing the relationship of Jesus to the people of the land and also to those powers which rule the land. The general population feels supported and encouraged by the words and actions of Jesus. Not so with the religious and political leaders of the day. These begin to suspect that Jesus presents a threat to their way of thinking and acting.
This week we follow Jesus as he makes his way into the city of Jerusalem. He is riding on a donkey and surrounded by crowds cheering him on. They spread palm branches along the road and sing loud hosannas. This imagery is rooted in a Psalm (118: 1-2; 19-29) of thanksgiving. It is a celebration of God's love which will never let us down. This as long as we trust the word of God and follow in the way of Jesus.
We know where the story of Palm Sunday leads. Jesus will soon be arrested and crucified by the religious and political leaders in Jerusalem. This because Jesus presents an alternative to the way of power in the world. That alternative is the way of mutual regard and compassionate service to any and all met along the way. A remarkable contrast to the patterns of exploitation and oppression manifest among persons seeking power and refusing compassion.
The story of Jesus offers us opportunity to choose where we will stand. My hope is that each day one more person will determine to follow the way of God and reject the way of the world. Journeying along this way, one bit at a time, circumstances that we fear will be put aside and relieved by our determination to love God fully and to love our neighbours just as we love ourselves.