When they were approaching Jerusalem, at Bethphage and Bethany, near the Mount of Olives, he sent two of his disciples 2 and said to them, “Go into the village ahead of you, and immediately as you enter it, you will find tied there a colt that has never been ridden; untie it and bring it. 3 If anyone says to you, ‘Why are you doing this?’ just say this, ‘The Lord needs it and will send it back here immediately.’” 4 They went away and found a colt tied near a door, outside in the street. As they were untying it, 5 some of the bystanders said to them, “What are you doing, untying the colt?” 6 They told them what Jesus had said; and they allowed them to take it. 7 Then they brought the colt to Jesus and threw their cloaks on it; and he sat on it. 8 Many people spread their cloaks on the road, and others spread leafy branches that they had cut in the fields. 9 Then those who went ahead and those who followed were shouting, “Hosanna! Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord! 10 Blessed is the coming kingdom of our ancestor David! Hosanna in the highest heaven!” 11 Then he entered Jerusalem and went into the temple; and when he had looked around at everything, as it was already late, he went out to Bethany with the twelve.
“It was already late”
What if it had not been late?
Now that it is late, what is going to happen?
I like this line I just heard on a podcast by Willimon, that the people were offended, not by the message that Jesus saves, but who he saves, AND HOW he saves. . .
Yes, that is the problem, isn’t it?
Give me Palm Sunday glory.
Of course, some might suggest that the Palm Sunday parade is more pathetic than majestic.
That is the problem, isn’t it?
p.s. I used this Sunday as a sort of “prelude” comment for my sermon it is a good story. . . from REvSis of RevGalBlogPals. . .
"I will put my law within them, and I will write it on their hearts" reminded me of this Hasidic tale I heard at a recent Spiritual retreat
"A disciples asks the rebbe, 'Why does the Torah tell us to "place these words upon your hearts"? Why does it not tell us to place these holy words in our hearts?'
The rebbe answers, 'It is because as we are, our hearts are closed, and we cannot place the holy words in our hearts. So we place them on top of our hearts. And there they stay, until, one day, the heart breaks and the words fall in.'"
Through heartbreak, we find compassion and grace. The cross can be seen as "God's heart broken for the sake of humankind, broken open into a love that Christ's followers are called to emulate."
Jesus' words about the grain of wheat dying in order to bear fruit seem to point to our need to have our hearts broken open in order for us to bear fruit.
