Palm Sunday
‘Peace I leave with you; my peace I give you. I do not give to you as the world gives.’ John 14:27a
Bible reading: Luke 19:29-44 (Go to the Bible passage)
How wonderful it is, what happened here!
Together with His disciples, Jesus approached His destination, the city of Jerusalem. Then He gave two of His followers the remarkable task to bring Him a donkey’s colt. Apparently, everything was ready for… the fulfillment of the messianic prophesy of Zechariah (9:9). Every pious Jew knew this prophesy and everyone looked forward to its fulfillment.
There went Jesus, ‘lowly and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey’. No wonder the whole crowd of disciples began to praise God joyfully in loud voices. ‘Blessed is the King, Who comes in the name of the Lord!’ (Psalm 118:26). Another messianic prophesy from the psalms. Yes, everybody understood… the Pharisees too. ‘Teacher, rebuke your disciples!’ they shouted at Jesus in the middle of the tumult. What a triumph…!
But Jesus wept. For the kingdom of God does not come through cheering, but only through tears and suffering.
But who is eager to suffer? Who wants to hear this message? How easily we are gladly carried away by enthusiasm and cheering, and how hard it is for our restless hearts to become silent. But in this way, we do not recognize the time of God’s coming to us! Therefore, the Savior wept in the middle of all cheering, for He knew there is only cause for celebration after Gethsemane, after the cross…
No, Palm Sunday is not to celebrate. Palm Sunday is to mourn for, because the same people, who cheered Jesus as the Messiah, also stood at the cross, with the mockers, together with those, who betrayed Him… Together with us…?

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