Palm Sunday.  When I was little, if I happened to go to church somewhere on Palm Sunday, I might have come home with a little pointed leaf from a palm.  I never really knew what it was all about.  They talked about "hosannahs" and donkeys and I knew it meant that Jesus was triumphant about something, but it didn't really make any sense.

When I was a young adult, I had the pleasure of living with a dear friend who was old enough to be my mom, but never had kids of her own.  She was a gem.

She had a donkey they called "Beans."  That was short for "Senorita Frijolita Sebalios." 

Quite a name, but quite a donkey, that burro called "beans."

If you have ever really heard a donkey bray? Not just the he-haw bray, but the long, loud, honking, screeching, eeee, awwwwww, screak, screak, snort, bray, than you know it can be very funny, unnerving, and even shocking to hear.  Anyway, Beans had quite a way about greeting you, letting you know guests were coming, or that she was hungry.

Beans was gorgeous.  She was grey, black and white.  She had a black line, a ridge of her coat that ran from her head to her tail, and across her shoulders.  My friend always said that there was a legend about how ever since the donkey carried Christ, that the "imprint" of the cross was there as a reminder, on the donkey's back.

So back to Palm Sunday.

The triumphal entry, which man could hardly call a triumph.  They were expecting this person, this Messiah to save them from the Roman Empire!  Jesus, riding on an ass, was supposed to do this? Where was His beautiful white stallion?  Where was His army?  How can you call that a triumph?  He was a great burden on a small beast, so small it barely held him up. 

 Yet the people were calling to Him, shouting at Him, SAVE US!  Save us.  And they waved their fronds at Him and laid down coats and branches at His feet. 

 And yet they were only mouthing the words-----the reality that Jesus was Saving them, was not getting through to them. 

 They were only giving Him lip service, while He was giving them Life Service.

Those same folks who were shouting "Save Us Now! " Were just practicing up, it seems, for "Crucify Him," a short time later.............

Just as a donkey's bray can be so frightening and powerful, and loud, the shouting of the crowd was frightening.  Once it gets momentum, it can't be stopped.  Even though some in the crowd are not joining in, have unwilling hearts....some do just because they get caught up in the moment.  Have you ever rallied strongly, emphatically for something only to realize later that you gave your ALL for the wrong cause?  I have, many times.

But Jesus never did that.  He gave His all for the right cause.  You.

My friend has gone on to be with her Lord, and we had many Sundays together, some celebrating the right cause together, some not.  But she stuck with me through it.  And her lovely Miss Beans, as lovely as a donkey could be has also gone on to donkey glory.  Me, I am still here, hoping to get the cause right, and to stop my braying for all the wrong reasons. 

 I am happy to report that I understand the triumphal entry now, and even though at times I may seem like I am shouting "save us" one day and "crucify him" the next, I know that Jesus is still longing to gather me into His loving arms, and forgive me when I forget what He has already done for me.  Is it finished? 

Yes, it is finished. 

I have a palm tree in my living room, that 12  years ago, my husband brought home.  Someone had thrown it out.  It was just sticks, dead looking sticks.  But he knew I had a green thumb of sorts, and would "resurrect" the poor thing.  So with a little TLC it worked.  The palm is now a thriving, lovely reminder of the one who died for us, and rose again!

I don't know about you, but I am looking forward to the rest of this lovely, Holy week!  He may not be done with me yet, but IT is finished!

N.