Today is the Feast of Palm Sunday, the day of the church year which transitions us from the season of Lent to Holy Week. We remember on this day the entrance of Christ Jesus in to the city of Jerusalem. He entered not as a vanquishing soldier on a mighty steed to topple the earthly thrones of Caesar and Herod, but rather as a suffering servant coming to nullify the spiritual tyranny of sin, death and the devil. The crowds cheered and exalted the arrival of the one whom they mistakenly thought would free them from the occupying forces of the Roman Empire. As he entered the city the throngs of people cheered him and offered jubilant praise. They demonstrated their welcome for his arrival by spreading their coats and palm branches upon the ground in the path of his little donkey's hoof steps. They called out the words "Hosanna! Hosanna! Blessed is He who comes in the Name of the Lord." Jesus was was popular this day as the people thought he would drive out Rome and re-establish the autonomy of Judea. By the end of the week, their misinformed and disillusioned minds would be crying out for Rome to execute their has-been hero. How about us? Are we any different? How easy it is to follow Jesus when it all is going well and it seems that things are going as we prefer! O how difficult it is to praise him in the storms of life when it all seems to be so very adverse! He has demonstrated that he hears our prayers and addresses our deepest needs. For they had cried out "Hosanna" and Jesus did rescue and redeem his countrymen and the whole world. He did come in the Name of the Lord and he took upon himself our curse that we may receive God's eternal favor and blessing. May we too, but with very much informed and illuminated hearts and minds, call out with true praises of Him who came to rescue us from the kingdom of Satan. Hosanna! Hosanna! Hosanna! Blessed is He who comes in the Name of the Lord! Amen!
Blessings+
Father Daniel
