Palm Sunday devotion

Imagine yourself in the story of Jesus entering Jerusalem.

Are you a face in the crowd or another character in the story?

There are times I would like to blend into the crowd, again. But, that is not faithful to my ordination vows nor my journey in faith. I’m not always as visible as I could be. Should be. I wear a fish (ichthus) symbol rather than a cross. My fish symbol is only visible at congregational gatherings. I want what I do to speak more than a religious symbol I wear or what someone might associate with a religious symbol I wear. When asked, I claim discipleship as a follower of Jesus, his ways, and the God that Jesus proclaimed. I would prefer a government that legislated the Golden Rule rather than the Greatest Commandment or other religion’s teachings or belief statements.

When I think about Jesus entering Jerusalem for the last time I can identify with Rome, with the Jewish leaders, with the generic disciples, and Judas. Two of my favorite “Jesus” films, “Jesus Christ Superstar” and “The Last Temptation of Christ” imagine Judas as Jesus’ closest traveling companion and disciple with the most tenure. In the Last Temptation, Jesus and Judas are talking quietly away from the other disciples. Jesus is telling Judas to go and tell the guards where they can find Jesus to arrest him. Judas says, “If you were me, could you betray your master?” Jesus responds, “No, that’s why God gave me the easier job.”

I know people who have that kind of intimacy with their faith in Jesus. I know people with that kind of intimacy with the divine, the Holy, the source, the creator, with I am, was, will be. You can see it in how they live and meet others. You can see it in how they wrestle with their own human complexities, incongruence, and authenticity. What is the next right thing to do. What effects will that next right thing have in the short term and beyond. What compass is helping me decide this is the next right thing to do?

Hosanna.