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Hosanna!

            The next day the great crowd that had come for the festival heard that Jesus was on his way to Jerusalem. They took palm branches and went out to meet him, shouting,         “Hosanna!”
        “Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!”
        “Blessed is the king of Israel!”
           Jesus found a young donkey and sat on it, as it is written: “Do not be afraid, Daughter Zion; see, your king is coming, seated on a donkey’s colt.”
               At first his disciples did not understand all this. Only after Jesus was glorified did they realize that these things had been written about him and that these things had been done to him.  Now the crowd that was with him when he called Lazarus from the tomb and raised him from the dead continued to spread the word. Many people, because they had heard that he had performed this sign, went out to meet him. So the Pharisees said to one another, “See, this is getting us nowhere. Look how the whole world has gone after him!” (John 12:12-19)

          Not long ago, I abruptly stopped going through John because it came to mind that we were too close to Palm Sunday to do Palm Sunday. I’m coming back to it now that it is Palm Sunday and I’m realizing my error, because there is far too much text to cover to reach the Resurrection on Resurrection Sunday without skipping lots of good stuff. As they say, “my bad,” and now we’ll see what God has in store as we return to that last week of John’s account.
        Have you ever been caught up in the moment? I have to wonder how many of the people who cheered for Jesus were merely caught up in the moment. Some people claim the same group that cried “Hosanna!” also cried “Crucify!” I don’t believe that. I suspect that some in the first group may have been caught up in the excitement, but not the second. I believe the second was well-orchestrated.
         Even God got caught up in the excitement. A little later in this account, God voices His approval of Jesus. The crowd thought it was thunder or an angel talking to Him.
         I fear I would have hated the whole thing. If I did understand sufficiently to get past my dislike of pomp, circumstance, and mob behavior (of any sort.) I probably would have stood off a little and cried (lacking a camera to keep me busy.) Tears seem to be my hated means of emotional expression in public. I hate to cry, but I hate to do the “rah, rah” nonsense even more.
         What message can any of us take from this passage? For me, the hugely important thing is that it fulfilled prophecy: Zechariah 9:9 and Daniel 9:20-26. Historically, the event was of critical significance, but it’s a preview of what’s coming. Going to church and tucking a palm leaf into your Bible doesn’t connect you to the events of that day. Living a life that cries “Hosanna!” and “Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord!” every day does.
          Lord, help us celebrate You every day in the midst of our everyday.
         


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