When I was a child, my family had a donkey. We loved that donkey so much. We often rode it. This is a picture of my brother and me riding a donkey. Notice the difference between riding a donkey and riding a horse. And that is not even a large war horse. This was intentional. Jesus purposefully chose a donkey and not a horse. To fulfill the prophecy in the Book of Zachariah.

Rejoice greatly, O daughter Zion!
Shout aloud, O daughter Jerusalem!
See, your king comes to you;
triumphant and victorious is he,
humble and riding on a donkey,
on a colt, the foal of a donkey.

Zachariah 9:9

The story of Jesus asking the disciples to go and borrow someone’s donkey has always made me think of my childhood. Would I have given my prized donkey to a stranger for Jesus’ sake? I sure hope so, but I am not sure. There is even a detail, if they ask why you are taking it, tell them “The Lord needs it.”

I am also intrigued with the detail to find a colt, a young donkey that has not been broken. This picture is of a donkey maybe 6 or 7 years old. My family purchased this donkey before I was born. So it had been ridden many times. If you know anything about riding an animal for the first time, it is not smooth. They have to be broken in. So did the donkey just comply when they put the coats on him and Jesus sat on the donkey? I guess, but at first I picture Jesus taking it for a spin, a few times before joining the parade. And a colt. Donkeys are already small, short. I think Jesus feet may have drug the ground. Humbling riding on a borrowed beloved animal.

The journey began. The triumphal entry began. When I think of the shouts and the palm branches waving and the cloaks laid on the ground and cheering for Jesus, “Hosanna” I think of parades. As Barbara Streisand sang like no other, “Don’t rain on my parade.” Last week Judas tried to rain on Mary’s parade as she anointed the feet of Jesus with expensive perfume. We do not want to lessen the festivities of this day. The palm waving, the singing. This is a good day.

The Messiah is coming into Jerusalem. Notice Luke’s gospel said the people are shouting, “Blessed is the king who comes in the name of the Lord. Peace in heaven and glory in the highest heaven.”

This takes us back to the angels declaration at Jesus birth, “Glory to God in the highest and on earth, peace!”

Hosanna – in the other gospels literally means, “Save us now”

They were receptive to Jesus’ entry. They felt he would now stop the oppressive regime.

We know the rest of the story. We know the group think went from blessed is the king, to crucify him. Jesus’ way is not always our way. He doesn’t ride into town on a war horse, but a humble donkey. He doesn’t respond to hate with hate. He doesn’t respond to violence with violence.

As we move from Palm Sunday to Passion Sunday, let us continue to sing, to pray, to live as people of hope. Surveying the cross or as theologians call it studying atonement theories, let us trust Christ.

As in Jesus final days, there will be hard, difficult days ahead. We can continue to pray, to draw near to one another and to the cross. I will cling to the old rugged cross and exchange it someday for a crown.