Luke 19:28-40
After telling a parable to the crowd at Jericho, Jesus went on ahead, going up to Jerusalem. When he had come near Bethphage and Bethany, at the place called the Mount of Olives, he sent two of the disciples, saying, “Go into the village ahead of you, and as you enter it you will find tied there a colt that has never been ridden. Untie it and bring it here. If anyone asks you, ‘Why are you untying it?’ just say this, ‘The Lord needs it.'” So those who were sent departed and found it as he had told them. As they were untying the colt, its owners asked them, “Why are you untying the colt?” They said, “The Lord needs it.” Then they brought it to Jesus; and after throwing their cloaks on the colt, they set Jesus on it. As he rode along, people kept spreading their cloaks on the road. As he was now approaching the path down from the Mount of Olives, the whole multitude of the disciples began to praise God joyfully with a loud voice for all the deeds of power that they had seen, saying,
“Blessed is the king
who comes in the name of the Lord!
Peace in heaven,
and glory in the highest heaven!”
Some of the Pharisees in the crowd said to him, “Teacher, order your disciples to stop.” He answered, “I tell you, if these were silent, the stones would shout out.”
Grace and Peace to you from the mystery in whom we live and move and have our being
Palm Sunday
We are heading into Holy Week and there will be palm crosses made, lilies placed on alters and egg hunts. Some churches have been planning their Easter resurrection celebrations since the live Nativity scenes came down.
Not much was made of Palm Sunday as far as I can remember growing up. Even now it seems to carry the same weight as the golf tournament before The Masters. Many of the pros skip it.
However, Palm Sunday commemorates the center of an historic conflict between powers. Caesar and Jesus. But the conflict is not as much with Jesus and Caesar as it is within the hearts of those who waved palms upon Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem. The palm symbolized goodness and victory. Jesus made it very clear to his followers he would eventually come out on top. Political conflicts typically end with death to the loser but in this case, the winner dies.
The citizens, even the disciples of Jesus, are being asked on Palm Sunday, what type of kingdom they will choose. A kingdom of emperor worship? Or a counterculture called the people of The Way who refuse to venerate the emperor or the empire? People choosing the path of The Way shook the empire. To refuse veneration was seen to be as unpatriotic.
Passover and caesar
Caesar created an illusion of impenetrable power to force the choice to bow down. Therefore, occasional spectacular processions would be held reminding the citizens of the power of the empire.
In these passages, there is such a display of power the week of the Passover. People would be flooding into Jerusalem, and the sheer numbers rattled the cages of power.
Pilate led a military procession into Jerusalem, an illusion of overwhelming power to intimidate and discourage any potential plans of the people to revolt.
The real threat to Caesar was Jesus and with his subversive message and growing number of followers.
Pilate, the Governor of Judea and surrounding area, led a breathtaking procession into Jerusalem proclaiming Caesar as Lord, but there was another procession on the other side of the city.
Jesus had prepared a procession of his own into Jerusalem. Like Pilate announcing a kingdom where Caesar is Lord, Jesus represented a kingdom where God is in charge. A kingdom not of force, but of peace.
He chose a donkey to ride into Jerusalem. How could a man on a donkey show people who the winner between Caesar’s kingdom and the kingdom of God would be?
Leading to this moment, Jesus prepared the people of The Way. He said he would suffer and die but that this is the way of the cross which will not in death but in life. Politically he was saying be careful who and what you venerate.
In other words, the fix is in. In the kingdom of God, the battle is already won. Peace can lead the procession in a world of war. Jesus leads with peace and still invites us to make that choice as well.
Here is how theologian Marcus Borg describes the moment and its significance in shaping our image of Jesus.
“Passover that year, two very different processions entered Jerusalem. They proclaimed two very different and contrasting visions of how this world can and should be: the kingdom of God versus the kingdoms of the power of this world.
The former is about justice and the end of violence. The latter are about domination and exploitation.
On Friday, the rulers of this world kill Jesus. On Easter, God says “yes” to Jesus and “no” to the powers that executed him.
holy week
Thus, Palm Sunday announces the central conflict of Holy Week. The conflict persists. In words from St. Paul, the rulers of this world crucified the Lord of glory. That conflict continues wherever injustice and violence abound. Holy Week is not about less than that.
Here is how – And this is the crucial connection – riding a donkey into Jerusalem echoes a passage from the prophet in Zechariah 9: 9,10
Shout aloud, O daughter Jerusalem!
Lo, your king comes to you;
triumphant and victorious is he, humble and riding on a donkey,
on a colt, the foal of a donkey
That king will be a king of peace:
“He will cut off the chariot from Ephraim and the war horse from Jerusalem; and the battle bow shall be cut off, and he shall command peace to the nations.”
As we head into our Holy Week, I’m considering God’s yes to Jesus and no to the powers that killed him.
I’m asking myself what am I saying yes to and what am I saying no to?
Will I lead with the donkey of peace or on the beast of power?
Both Pilate and Jesus entered Jerusalem. How they entered evidently mattered a great deal.
How will I enter Holy Week? Will I take Borgs interpretation seriously?
Yes, Jesus prepared his followers with victory in the resurrection. But the real, tangible victory is to be people of The Way of peace from Palm Sunday to the resurrection. Everyday.
Wednesday Respite is a 30-min contemplative service of scripture, prayer, music and a Spirited Touchpoint by Henry Rojas, spiritual director at Spirit in the Desert.
Touchpoint is a reflection on where God’s story touches our life story. It is a short homily based on a biblical story of people in the Old and New Testaments and their relationship with God. Our spiritual ancestors’ experience of God’s grace connects with our lives in the present and our relationship with the Divine. Previous Touchpoints are available as PDFs or on SoundCloud.
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