We have tamed the word Hosanna more than a little in our churches also.
It is a word of revolution. The word "Hosanna," like the words
"Eloi, Eloi, Lama Sabachthani" is an Aramaic word--a reminder of our Jewish roots,
our Jewish Jesus, our Jewish Messiah.
But "Hosanna" is the prayer of Palm Sunday's triumphant (and triumphalist) Church,
where "Eloi, Eloi" is the prayer of Jesus' rejection and despair.
These are the old words of our story, words which are too freighted with meaning
to be translated into any language, and so are left in Jesus' own tongue.
We begin the liturgy today with Hosanna on our lips—our modern equivalent
might be "Jesus saves!" except that does not sound very revolutionary.
"Hosanna!" was a nationalist and revolutionary cry on the lips of an oppressed people.
It was more like "Allah Akbar!" as shouted in the Israeli-occupied territories
of Palestine today. It was inflammatory, not suitable for Sunday school.
Roman occupation soldiers would have heard it as provocation,
as a rock thrown by an Arab youth at Israeli occupation troops in the West Bank or Gaza.
We sing it gladly as a triumphalist ditty, unaware of its political power.
Perhaps the Church does not yet realize its own plight in the 21st century,
or "Eloi, Eloi, lama sabachtahni" would be a more frequent prayer than once a year.
We don't yet know the depth of our daily abandonment.
Lucy Bregman
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