“Two Parades”

              I read this week that there was likely a second parade happening in Jerusalem when Jesus made his way with his followers. Since it was the time of the celebration of Passover, Hebrew pilgrims would flock to Jerusalem to remember God’s deliverance of them from oppression in Egypt. But they weren’t the only ones who understood the importance of the annual observance. The Roman government also knew what the celebration marked for these pilgrims, so it seems that the Roman governor of Judea would come to Jerusalem to make sure that the Jewish citizens didn’t get any big ideas about liberating themselves from any other empire any time soon. Therefore, as many scholars have noted, Pontius Pilate would have come up from the West and marched into Jerusalem through the Western Gate, the largest gate, riding on a war house with his soldiers, accompanied by banners and troops all marching behind him. It was to be a national holiday with the streets cleared and large crowds gathering to watch the grand display of power.

         And so, as we remember the story we read this Sunday, on the other side of town, there was another parade, a very different parade, not with armies and banners and horses and soldiers, not with chariots and weapons. Rather, in this parade the leader came riding a donkey, arriving from the East side of the city, surrounded by a few celebrants. In this parade, those watching and participating, spread their cloaks and palm branches ahead of him; and Jesus was greeted with shouts of “Hosanna” and what could have been seen as a treasonous chant, “Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! Blessed is the coming kingdom of our ancestor, David!”

         If this account is true, then the governor, Pilate, rode a war horse through the largest gate into the city, decked out in heavy armor, with flags waving and soldiers marching behind while Jesus led a rag-tag kind of parade, riding a donkey, through a small Eastern gate, followed by meager gathering of disciples and children and peasants.

         There were two celebrations that day in Jerusalem, two parades into the city; but they could not have been more different. One was a military display of imperial might. And one was a small protest with a few rebels crying out a word from their sacred texts, “Hosanna,” which is literally translated, “Save us, Save us now!” You see, this was not a cheer or just the words of celebration, this was a prayer, a crying out to the Messiah.

         And as Dr. Kristin Adkins-Whitesides writes, “it paves the way for what will come. For Palm Sunday is a day of contrasts as we are confronted with the choice between the kingdom of God and the kingdom of Caesar.”

         If you’re like me, then you’re quick to say which parade you’d be following; we’d proudly claim our commitment to be in the Jesus march. But if we truly examine our hearts as we prepare for Palm Sunday, then it’s possible that we discover we often choose to follow the other parade, that we find the showy and dramatic display a bit more interesting than walking with Jesus. I know what I'd like to think my life demonstrates; but I’ve decided to prayerfully ponder the question as I prepare for Holy Week.       

         Which parade am I really following?

You are the light of the world!

Warmly,

Lynne