The next day the great crowd that had come to the festival heard that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem. So they took branches of palm trees and went out to meet him, shouting “Hosanna!”
John 12:9–18
“Hey, have you got your tickets to the festival?”
“You bet! Wouldn’t miss it. Everyone will be there! And we’re going right now. That little town fills up fast. I don’t want to miss anything. Come on with us!”
Passover was always a big deal – the biggest of the high holy days, celebrating the exodus from Egypt 2000 years earlier. At these times, little Jerusalem, a town of about 150,000 people and countless animals would swell with pilgrims from the entire diaspora: Babylon, Egypt, Syria. Josephus, the historian, numbers the people in the millions! What a time it must have been! But this year was different. Jesus had been preaching and healing all around Palestine for several years now. Many people knew of him. Some had heard him speak. Some had been healed. So it’s not surprising that, upon hearing that Jesus was coming, many, many people wanted to welcome him. Surely some were just curious (“Raised Lazarus from the dead?!? Really?!?”). They laid down palm fronds before him (John 12) and threw their cloaks on the ground (Mark11:8) in gestures of welcome and respect.
What is Jesus’ road to my heart lined with? Have I spread my cloak before him? Do I welcome him with palm fronds and hosannas? Or am I a curious seeker?
It really doesn’t matter to Jesus. He just wants to be welcomed in.
Welcome, Lord.
Patti Sachs
