read Matthew 21:1-11
commentary | Rev. Bruce Reyes-Chow
Today, let’s stay at the parade, for just a moment. Because
we know what comes after Palm Sunday, it is easy to quickly judge and rebuke
the crowd that eventually turns on Jesus. Oh, those silly people, cheering on a
triumphal entry as if he were a victor returning from war and not a human who
was about to disrupt the very fabric and stability of the world, which included
him dying.
The thing is, in many ways these two things were happening
at the same time; the question is which Jesus will we follow, then and now. I
am certain that the Jesus we choose to follow has everything to do with our
current state of being. If you have been struggling, feel set aside or ignored,
or are experiencing powerlessness or marginalization, any glimpse of gaining
back some power or security would not only be welcomed but cheered. I can only
imagine that the deeper the struggle, the more vibrant the joy would be at the
promise of some relief.
So again, let’s be at the parade, but let’s also be very
clear about which Jesus we are cheering on: the militaristic victor or the
humble subversive—for either could be born from pent-up frustration and
struggle. I hope that many are resisting the wave of Christian nationalism that
has been the dominant Christian narrative in our political discourse. Too many
are choosing the narrative of Jesus as a wartime victor and choosing a Gospel
militarized against anyone who would stray from a litmus test of
beliefs—beliefs that Jesus never actually addressed and beliefs certainly not
included in the commandments, that Jesus did speak to us, to love God with all
your heart and mind and strength and to love your neighbor as yourself.
Now that second Jesus, that one who is turning over tables,
challenging power, and sitting with sinners in order to heal and love, that’s
the one worthy of a parade.
Reflect: Which Jesus will you follow: the militaristic
victor or the humble subversive? How is your faith shaped by the version of
Jesus you follow?
reprinted with permission from A Sanctified Art
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