Palm Sunday

“They took palm branches and went out to meet him.  They shouted, ‘Hosanna!  Blessings on the one who comes in the name of the Lord! Blessings on the king of Israel!’” (John 12:13, CEB)

“Riding on a donkey of humility,

Jesus entered into Jerusalem -

A king without a battalion of guards

without horses, without military tanks,

without canons and machine guns.

The children laid down the branches

Of palm trees as carpet on the ground

Others lifted them up to hail him

While chorusing hosannas as he drove by,

‘Blessed is he who comes

in the name of the Lord.’

Today Jesus enters into

The gates of homes, churches and

Other machineries of control and

Down deep into every human heart.

Today let hosannas resound

Saying no to wars and weapons

No to hatred, revenge and death

But yes to the subtle claim

In the heart to let the love of Jesus reign.”

            [--Elizabeth Padillo Olesen, cited from voicesnet.com at 

ttp://www.voicesnet.org/displayonepoem.aspx?poemid=170259]

When Jesus entered Jerusalem on that first Palm Sunday, he was challenging the people to choose whether or not they would claim him as a King of military might (symbolized by a white horse that he should have ridden) but as a King of peace (symbolized by the lowly donkey that he did ride).

Today, Jesus challenges us with the same choice:  welcome him as the Lord of warfare and “might makes right”? or as the “Prince of Peace”? In today’s world of violence, hatred, prejudice, terrorism, and war, Palm Sunday dares us to welcome the one who challenges us to claim him as the “Prince of Peace.”  Remember, God loves you and I do, too!