I found this card when cleaning out my cupboard recently, and it seemed perfect for a Pandemic Palm Sunday.  It says… If this is God’s plan, God is a terrible planner”… and then in smaller print, “No offense if you’re reading this, God.  You did a really good job with other stuff, like waterfalls and pandas.”

Then I came upon these words from Walter Brueggeman:

The core truth of our faith is this:  the God of the gospel brings life out of death.

You can line out the move from death to life physically, historically, literally, metaphorically, symbolically…any way you want.

But the truth is a rock-bottom acknowledgement that God can probe into our deepest negations and create new possibility, new space for life, new energy for obedience, new waves of joy…

That also seems like a good word for us on this Palm Sunday – normally a day of high and holy celebration; normally a day to wave palm branches and re-enact a triumphant parade; normally a day to rejoice in a church full of friends, remembering the good times of Jesus’ joy.  Normally… but now we have a “new normal” – a day to worship together separately, and to hear Brueggeman’s continued reminder…

It is this God of the gospel who took primordial chaos in hand, who said “let there be light”, and formed a dry, ordered, fruitful land.  And since that first moment God has been taking our dismal modes of chaos and forming them into launching pads for new life.

It occurs to me this morning that we’ve all been talking a lot about how we’re living in “uncertain times” right now (I know I’ve said that more than once).  But here’s the thing.. in actuality, that is always the case for us!  We like to pretend we have a roadmap outlining every possible route our lives might take, but the truth is, life is always uncertain.  We are always encountering roadblocks and detours and side excursions we have not planned.  The trick is to remain expectant and open to the whole of our journey, lest we miss the moments of grace and the vistas of wonder.  We are living in uncertain times – yes – as long as we are living!

This morning, I invite you to the kind of expectation, the kind of openness that will allow you to recognize God’s promise in Christ… That You May Know Joy. So let us go back then, to that first Palm Sunday parade, Jesus’ triumphant entry into Jerusalem, the official “start” of what we now know as Holy Week.  It is interesting to me that all four Gospels include some account of this entry into Jerusalem, even if they don’t all tell it in exactly the same way.  Matthew, Mark and John include some mention of the crowd waving branches; Luke does not.  Matthew, Mark and Luke have people throwing their clothing on the road in front of Jesus; John does not.  Matthew, Mark and John tell us the people were shouting “Hosanna!”… while Luke gives a much longer praise chorus…Blessed is the King who comes in the name of the Lord!  Peace in heaven and glory in the highest heaven!

It is only in Luke’s Gospel that the Pharisees chide Jesus for the peoples’ praise, saying he should order the disciples to stop, and only in Luke do we then hear Jesus’ reply…If these were silent, the stones would shout out!  Jesus sounds as if he is trying to suggest, there are some celebrations that just won’t keep.  There is some hope that will not be squelched. There is some joy that cannot be silenced. There is some liberation that can only be shared.

Those crowds who greeted Jesus at the first Palm Parade didn’t even know who Jesus was.  But they got caught up in the JOY of the moment. Waving palm branches and throwing down their garments, they create an impromptu celebration, perhaps hoping against hope that Jesus was going to march into town, raise up an army and with divine intervention, would throw the Roman rascals out on their ear.  But Jesus does it all wrong.  Instead of entering Jerusalem on a tank, Jesus rides in on a donkey, or a colt.  He has no entourage of military might or political clout.  There is no trumpet announcing his arrival nor any floats or streamers adding color to the moment.

Instead, Jesus enters Jerusalem the same way he enters into our church – our city – your home – or mine. Jesus enters with whatever entourage is willing to follow love instead of hate, humility instead of power, justice instead of privilege, freedom instead of fear.

Jesus enters with us when we receive God’s promise of JOY in Christ.  Joy in Christ is not dependent upon the circumstances of the moment.  Unlike “happiness”, JOY goes beyond the surface of our existence to the depths of our identity.  Joy in Christ has more to do with the focus of our lives than it has to do with the events of our lives.  Marcus Borg put it this way:

The Christian life is not about pleasing God the finger-shaker and judge.  It is not about believing now or being good now for the sake of heaven later. 

The Christian life is about entering a relationship in the present that begins to change everything now.  Spirituality is about this process – the opening of the heart to the God who is already here.

Receiving God’s promise of JOY in Christ is recognizing the God who is already here – right now, right where you are.

HOSANNA! the crowds chant today… it’s a strange word, difficult to define.  Scholars’ best guess is that it is a contraction of two Hebrew terms, Yaw-shah, meaning “to save” or “deliver”; and Naw, meaning “to beseech” or “to pray”. So when we join the crowds and shout our “hosanna!”, what we are really saying to Jesus is We beseech you to deliver us.

Hosanna!  Jesus deliver us from all that tears us apart, or keeps us isolated one from another.  Say it with me … Hosanna!  Jesus, deliver us from all that limits the imagination of our hearts.  Hosanna! Jesus, deliver us from the illusion of total control.

Hosanna!  Jesus, deliver us from the myth of powerlessness.  Hosanna!  Jesus, deliver us INTO the depth of your love and the promise of your JOY.

For then, we will truly and finally be saved.   Thanks be to God!  Amen.