This past Sunday was Palm Sunday, the day that the Christian church celebrates Christ's triumphant entrance into Jerusalem. I have always felt a bit conflicted as I watched the children in the congregation parading around the sanctuary waving palm branches celebrating his riding into the city on a donkey heralded as a king by those gathered for the Passover simply because I know the rest of the story. I know that in just a few days, that many of these same people will be shouting "Crucify him! Crucify him!" If I am honest, I spend this day with a knot in the pit of my stomach, always wondering if I would have joined with the crowds in these shouts demanding the death of the very one I had just honored as a king.
To make things just a bit more antagonistic for me this year, Palm branches were given to each person, young and old, as we entered worship. We were instructed to wave our branches as we sand our praises. I tried to comply, but that same struggle enveloped my mind and heart. As I worked through the emotions of that morning, I have come to realize that it is a celebration---just not the type of celebration that those first century folks were having. I am not celebrating the coming of a king who will liberate me from my political oppressors. I am celebrating the Messiah that is coming to liberate my from the power and bondage of Sin. That is something to celebrate!
As always, my family has no problem
being silly celebrating! Here are a few pictures of their antics.
