From Forward Day by Day
Luke 19:38 The crowd said, “Blessed is the king who comes in the name of the Lord! Peace in heaven, and glory in the highest heaven!”
We don’t know what the crowd’s mood was that day. The scripture says they praised God joyfully, but was that the mood? Many years ago, I went to an anti-war protest in Washington, DC. There were vast crowds. Some people were angry. Some were joyful. At times, it felt like a big party. During the several hours I was there, the mood seemed to shift back and forth from hope to despair.
On that very first Palm Sunday, some of the crowds must have known how things would turn out for Jesus. Others must have been hopeful that a miracle would happen, that their Messiah would overturn the oppressive regime.
As we start Holy Week, our mood might shift too, even though we know how the story turns out. This seems just right. We should be filled with sorrow. We should be filled with joy. It’s all there. And in heaven, there is peace. May that peace come to earth in our time.
