Palm Sunday

As I read from Pr Nadia Bolz-Weber once: Nothing could have stopped this Pascal mystery of God and humanity. No amount of super-good discipleship or wisdom or hindsight would make a lick of difference to God’s determination to draw all people to God’s self through Jesus lifted high and on a cross.

Today we will see and feel that we are no different than the shouting crowds – those that do the right thing for the wrong reason or those who do the wrong thing for the right reason. There is no better class of improved people. There are just people, just us.

And as soon as we think the good news is that we know better than those caught up in into the tragic events of that first Holy Week, we are sorely mistaken. As soon as we think the good news is that we now know how to do the right things and for the right reasons, we are sorely mistaken.

Because it had to happen like this. When the Pharisees told Jesus to stop his disciples from such an embarrassing display, he said that if they were they to stop, even the stones would cry out. So there had to be crowds who shout praise  and friends who betrayed and followers who denied and women who wept and soldiers who mocked and thieves who believed. It would have happened like this even if the Jesus event were happening now instead of then.  

Even if we knew everything in advance – were we the ones on the street we too would shout Hosanna and a few days later shout crucify him. We face that stark reality today and the rest of this week.

And, yet, that’s the good news when it comes down to it. Because these people of the Holy Week story are we the people. And we the people are the likes of which God came to save. God did not become human and dwell among us as Jesus to save only an improved, doesn’t-make-the-wrong choices kind of people. 

There is no improved version of humanity that could have done any differently. So go ahead. Don’t wait until you think your motivations are correct. Don’t wait till you are sure you believe or understand every single line of the Nicene creed. 

Don’t worry about coming to church this week for the right reasons. Just come. Wave branches. Shout praise for any reason. Eat a meal. Have your feet washed. Shout Crucify him. Walk away when the cock crows. 

Because we, as we are, and not as some improved version of ourselves…we are who God came to save. And nothing can stop what is going to happen.  Hosanna.