Palm Sunday

This morning as we grabbed our palm leaves to carry into the service, I stopped to look down upon the one I held in my hand. It was lovely and green except that one leaf was beginning to turn brown and was showing signs of a blight or disease. I thought about switching out the branch and then realized that, for me, it was a great symbol of Palm Sunday.

It was the day when the crowds cheered and rejoiced over Jesus. They wanted to make Him king, they thought for sure He would deliver them from the hands of the Romans. They sang His praises!! But within a handful of hours that chorus of "hosannas" would become a cacophony of "crucify Him!!". They, like my branch were green with energy and desire, but would soon show the decay of fickle allegiences.

I often ask, how could they have done that? Loved Him one moment and chose a convicted murderer over Him the next...Then I stand back and see myself among them. I, too, love it when I think Jesus is going to do something in my favor. I sing His praises and act triumphant! However, when He doesn't do what I expect Him to do, I get kind of ticked off at Him and choose other things or people over Him! I choose my own ideas instead of Him!

Lord, as we stand on this side of Your death and resurrection, I can see now that You came as King, but in a different manner than those around you thought You would. May You give me the grace to always give you a triumphal entry - to always see you as King - but keep me from disowning You when You operate in ways I do not understand! This week, would you help me enter into Your Passion - to hear the story with new ears, to see You in new light, to be humbled deeper by Your death on the cross and to tremble at the announcement of Your resurrection!!