Palm Sunday is a feast that showcases the extremes of human experiences. It begins in triumph but ends in tragedy. Things can turn on a dime, and as we move through the events described in the Gospels, we’re turn topsy-turvy with it all too. Over this week we call holy, we’ll hold it all: from the parade to the sacred meal with loved ones to the trial and crucifixion to that liminal space of waiting to the triumph of resurrection. As we accompany Jesus through these highs and lows, we’re meant to find ourselves in his life and to see Christ in our life too.
As Jesus made His way into Jerusalem, the excitement was noticeable. Crowds lined the streets, spreading their cloaks on the road ahead of Jesus, their hands filled with palm branches, voices united in a chorus of “hosanna.” This moment of jubilation, however, held a deeper story. The very crowd that celebrated Jesus’s arrival with such fervor would, in mere days, turn against Him, calling for His crucifixion.
So, this pivotal event in the Bible prompts us to examine our own perspectives on Jesus. Often, we welcome Him into our lives with open arms, hoping He’ll fix our problems, fulfill our wishes, and align with our personal agendas. We long for a Jesus who matches our expectations, overlooking His true mission of bringing us salvation and restoring our relationship with God.
Yet, Jesus’ choice to enter Jerusalem on a humble donkey, rather than a majestic horse, sends a powerful message about His kingship. It challenges our worldly views of power and success, inviting us to embrace a kingdom built on humility, service, and love.
Over these holy days, I hope we take the time to really enter in to the prayer and ritual offered to us—especially Maundy Thursday and Good Friday. It’s an invitation to reflection on the complicated range of emotions we experience. Besides sadness and joy, there’s the whole gamut of other emotions and experiences—anger, dismay, disappointment, confusion, doubt, fear, and on and on. When we struggle to hold the extremes of our own experiences, when the intensity is just too much, we remember that God holds us.
As we move through this Holy Week, may we know how closely God is present with us. May we be open to God’s love and care in all that we experience.