Then they brought the colt to Jesus and threw their cloaks on it; and he sat on it. Many people spread their cloaks on the road, and others spread leafy branches that they had cut in the fields. Then those who went ahead and those who followed were shouting, “Hosanna! Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord! Blessed is the coming kingdom of our ancestor David! Hosanna in the highest heaven!
Mark 11:7-10
On Saturday, I joined with thousands of people–including 8 from Edwards Church–marching down Columbus Ave to the Common in Boston. We were one of 800 “March for our Lives” demonstrations around the world, supporting young people who are leading a movement to do something about gun violence. It was exhilarating, energizing, and inspiring.
One of my favorite things about attending marches is sign-watching. This march had the best signs! Eleanor’s sign was pointed: “Who’s next?” Amelia had a two-sided sign: “Fear has no place in school,” and on the reverse, “Never again.” Jenny’s sign compared the rate of gun-related deaths in countries around the world. I took a picture of one that quoted Malala Yousafzai: “With guns you can kill terrorists; with education you can kill terrorism.”
One sign reminded me of the connection between Saturday’s march and today’s Palm Sunday parade. It said, simply, “Part of the Jesus movement.” The sign reminded me that Jesus’ parade through the streets of Jerusalem was an act of resistance. It was a protest march.
Over the years, in our Palm Sunday service, we have noted that Jesus’ parade was most likely the second parade happening that day in Jerusalem. The first would have been the entrance of the Roman governor of Judea, Pilate, into the city. He would have come with many soldiers and much pomp and circumstance.
The Roman parade was designed to intimidate the people, who had gathered in their holy city for Passover, a celebration of freedom. It was a show of overwhelming force intended to leave no room for the people to imagine that things could ever be different.
With his own parade, Jesus refused to give the Romans the power they wanted. As the disciples walked down the street, they carved a pathway for hope. They made a space for their people to dare to imagine a different kind of kingdom than Rome–the kingdom, the realm, the kin-dom of God.
Through our actions, our voices and our relationships, may we make space to imagine the realm of God’s love, breaking into our lives and our world.
Give us courage, O God, to march and speak and listen, to make space for your realm to enter. Amen.