Hosanna, thoughts for Palm Sunday Matthew 21 1-11

This one Sunday started with a donkey and a parade.
Jesus was coming to Jerusalem and the word on the street was Hosanna.

This year with Covid19 we won't have parades or processions. We won't even be able to gather together in one place to worship. Make no mistake, we will still be church. We will still be Jesus' body in the world; but worship will happen in our homes. Worship will happen live on Facebook and in the family and personal spaces where people read this story, pray and sing together or alone—and that word hosanna will ring out in a different way in different places than ever before.

Before the people shouted Jesus had a plan to enter the Holy city. Jesus sent his friends to a village on the way to bring back a donkey. He said if anyone asked why they were taking the young donkey they should say, “The teacher needs it.”
And Jesus rode into the holy city on this donkey colt.
And the people called out Hosanna.
Hosanna.
They shouted it with joy and hope. It echoed the words of a Psalm (Psalm 118:26)

Hosanna/Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the lord.

There's a darkness in our world right now. We call it Covid19 or Corona virus. It's shape is hard to explain. It covers so much of our lives. Part of this darkness is fear and uncertainty. Part of this darkness is grief and death. And it's with the reality, that this darkness is real, that we hear a story of Jesus coming to Jerusalem. This weekend we usually tell this story about Jesus coming to Jerusalem as church every year. We usually have palms to hand out and a choir walking into worship together in song.
But not this year.
See the Good News is still here. Jesus has come for us all. But this year we are calling out Hosanna not in a crowd but on our own. Hosanna.

There's so much in this word Hosanna.
This word that crowds called out as Jesus rode into town on a donkey.
Hosanna. The words been around for thousands of years—it literally means save us Lord. This word somehow fits our moment when our need for God is so real. The people shouted Hosanna when Jesus came. And we sing it and whisper it and say it today.
Save us Lord.
Set us free Lord.
Deliver us.
Hosanna—to the son of David blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord.
Hosanna—to God in heaven.

Saying and even more praying Hosanna makes sense on Palm Sunday this year amid countless prayers for the world to somehow someday just go back to normal. We hear this story about Jesus coming to bring hope and light. Jesus is light coming for the world when the darkness is real.

It's not the small parade or the crowds that lined the road that gets my imagination this year. It's not the palm branches that they wave. It's the word they shouted Hosanna—blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord. This story is a prelude to the cross and resurrection. Jesus rode in to Jerusalem on a donkey and the people had hope and anticipation—it was the start of a week of teaching and ministry—that ended with a death and resurrection.
This year the remembering will be different.
But the need for God's help is still the same.
Hosanna—save us Lord. AMEN.
peace and thanks for reading, John.