Listen

When Jesus and his followers approached Jerusalem, they came to Bethphage and Bethany at the Mount of Olives. Jesus gave two disciples a task, saying to them, “Go into the village over there. As soon as you enter it, you will find tied up there a colt that no one has ridden. Untie it and bring it here. If anyone says to you, ‘Why are you doing this?’ say, ‘Its master needs it, and he will send it back right away.’”

Mark 11:1-3

Think

Ready your cloaks and palm branches! This chapter in Mark’s gospel marks Jesus’ triumphal entry into the city of Jerusalem. We often read these texts on Palm Sunday, and we think of this act as a kind of celebratory parade, but the first Palm Sunday was a little different. Scholars suggest that Jesus riding into town on a colt was actually an act of protest. As people gathered in Jerusalem for Passover, the Roman Empire increased their military presence around the temple, marching their troops into the city from the west.

And from the opposite direction, Jesus rides into town, not on a warhorse, but on a donkey. As people waved palm branches and laid down their cloaks, they were making a bold statement about where they place their trust. Not war, but peace. Not armies, but community. Not fear, but joy. Not domination, but celebration.

We trust that this is the kind of world that God is bringing into being, and God calls us to be a part of that good and holy work.

Nick Carson

Question to Ponder:

What are some of the values that you stand for?

Pray

God, help me to lay down my cloak for the holy parade,

to make way for peace, to move closer to love.

Amen.

Go

Go and sing loud and dance wild,

speak truth and stand strong,

hold beauty in your heart,

love hard and be soft,

make mistakes and say you’re sorry,

and try always to be you,

because all of life is a hymn singing God’s praise.