Today's Reading: Matt. 27:11-66 

Daily Lectionary: Ex 8:1-32, Heb. 1:1-14

In the Name + of Jesus. Amen. Palm branches are for victory. Jesus rode into town to the palm leaves thrown down by the crowd who today yells hosanna, save us, but will yell crucify in a week. The first to lay them down were the apostles who couldn’t be prouder to find him a donkey to ride only to deny Him three times like Peter.  

Marching in the parade are the ones who fought each other over who the greatest is and wrote books with subtle snubs against their neighbor like John, or as he insists on calling himself, the apostle whom Jesus loved for the whole book just to annoy Peter. Like brothers and sisters in Christ who nurture petty grudges claiming superiority is more important than reconciliation in Christ. 

I can’t help but wonder if the insurrectionist Barabbas would have been there, prison notwithstanding, because the idea of a religion that addresses politics before souls is all too appealing in a world where you don’t get your way, even if it does completely miss the point. The traitor Judas was there, and since he was introduced as “the one who would betray Him”, we can save ourselves the trouble of having to be concerned for his fall. After all, there are sinners, and then there are sinners, and it’s easier to just write those kinds of souls off as object lessons to the rest of us. 

In case it escaped your notice, we’re the same kind of sinners that populated Jerusalem years ago. This is the heavenly band for whom He rode into Jerusalem. His disciples did not understand these things at first.  We still struggle with them too. 

So we’re shown Jesus glorified on the cross. It was for them. He died for Peter and Judas. He died so the criminal Barabbas could escape death. He died for the Pharisees.  For all. For you. We lay down palms of victory. Palms are for winners. It doesn’t look like much until you see them waved in heaven. Behold the glorious band. In the Name + of Jesus. Amen.