Sunday

Matthew 21:1-11, Mark 11:1-11, Luke 19:28-44, and John 12:9-19

The theme I see teased out underneath the recounting of the events of this first day in what we call Holy Week or the last week of the life of Jesus of Nazareth, have to do with awe.  Awe as in fear and respect, as well as awe as in awe-some, speechless – something that takes your breath away.  Jesus arrives at the Jerusalem which is the social, political and religious capital of his nation.  Of course Israel is called Palestine by the Romans, a small (somewhat troublesome) province in their mighty Empire.

He is acclaimed by the crowd present with palm branches, cloaks on the road and rides in on a donkey or colt to cheers of “Hosanna” “May God save us!”  Yet he’s not what the people expect or suspect.  They’re looking for a superman, a messiah terminator who can annihilate the Roman occupiers and deliver the Israelites through death and destruction to the promised land of eternal God-given freedom, independence and sovereignty.  They’re expecting a Messiah warrior who would most likely ride a tank or a tomahawk missile.  Yet what they get is a king who is ordinary, like old, plain, milk-toast person who talks about the power of love, as opposed to the love of power.  They’re awe is subverted and transformed in a few days: for some from respect to anger and betrayal; for others from expectation to disappointment; and for others from certainty to confusion.

How does this story, the subversive way in which Jesus asserts himself as a ruler to follow, as the King of Kings, as the Son of Man, bring you to a place and space of spiritual awe?