The entrance

Haiku for an arrival

Near Jerusalem

he sent the two disciples

to fetch the donkey.

An unridden colt

was his chosen conveyance;

perfect for a king.

They shout in welcome

and wave their leafy branches;

Jesus, we want you!

They shout, Hosanna!

Hosanna, Son of David!

How political!

He rode into town,

took a look at the temple.

It was getting late.

Back to Bethany

he retreated with the twelve

and the moment passed.

© Ken Rookes 2018

won't you fight for me?

I am reminded of the words of the people in the musical JC superstar, in which the crowd welcome Jesus into Jerusalem with the chant ...
Hey sanna Hosanna sanna sanna hey sanna hey sanna hosanna, 
hey Jc Jc, won’t won’t you fight for me, sanna hey sanna ho superstar. 
They expected, as we desire, a leader of power and force to save them from their repression. In our modern age this gospel lesson asks us if we are that much different. When we are feeling in danger from an enemy how many of us welcomed a George Bush of a John Howard who set themselves up as saviour figures and avenging angels of power? The message is no easier for us today to hear than it was for the people of Jerusalem. The power of Jesus and Jesus’ message is not of this world. It is the power of compassion, of healing and of grace. It is not a language that we yet understand but, it is a language we are called to seek to live as Christians even in our modern age. I believe that when Jesus wept over Jerusalem, he was weeping for all the generations and religions to come that would refuse to listen to the language of peace and healing.

Taming the Hosanna

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

save us from self-interest

"Jesus declines to ask God to save him, he rather requests the Father to glorify his name. At face value it would seem that the Jerusalem fan parade is glorifying God’s name but they are not really. They are simply demanding their own liberation. “Save us now!“

The paradox of Jesus’ life is that the glorification of God’s name is found  in the ignonimity and humiliation of the accursed one who is nailed up on a tree. It is from there that the salvation called for in the Hosanna arises.  However, this salvation is now completely redefined by the poured out life on the cross.

Which brings me to that Jerusalem flash mob and their, “God help us! God save us!”

Isn’t that the most primal prayer ever prayed?"

http://thelisteninghermit.wordpress.com/2012/03/26/hosanna-save-us-from-self-interest-palm-sunday-b/