“The world will never starve for want of wonders; but only for the want of wonder.”

GK Chesterton, 1920

Palm Sunday was a wonder that is celebrated more than two thousand years after it took place. Little did the people at the first Palm Sunday imagine that their efforts to honor the man on the donkey would resound throughout history; much less did they know that Palm Sunday would some day usher in Holy Week for millions of Christians who would not cease to wonder a week later at the resurrection of Jesus.

As long as Palm Sunday is observed, wonder will still exist in the world, for it was a moment of the fulfillment of prophesy, and the recognition of the identity of Jesus as the long expected “son of David:” “Rejoice greatly, Daughter Zion! Shout, Daughter Jerusalem! See, your king comes to you, righteous and victorious, lowly and riding on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey, .. . His rule will extend. . . to the ends of the earth.” (Jechariah 9:-10)

King David rode a mule, and when he wanted to assure the succession of his son Solomon, he ordered Solomon to ride David’s own mule to Gihon, to be anointed King of Israel. (1Kings 1:33) The convincing evidence that Solomon was to be king was the fact of his riding David’s mule. He didn’t ride a great war horse, but simply his father’s mule.

On Palm Sunday the people of Jerusalem recognized the man on a humble donkey as the Son of David, the king: Children were shouting in the temple courts, “Hosanna to the Son of David!” (Matthew 21:14) Jesus, when his disciples cried out, “Blessed is the king who comes in the name of the Lord,” responded to the criticism of the Pharisees, “If they keep quiet the stones will cry out.” (Luke 19:40)

“Wonder” abounded on Palm Sunday, as scripture and experience came together and people celebrated the Spirit of their God in Jesus. For centuries the Church has embraced the memory of this extraordinary moment in Jesus’ time with us on earth. The wonder of this celebration is a small preview of the wonder that occurs a week later at the celebration of Jesus’ resurrection. For children and disciples, the evidence of Jesus’ identity was clear and conveyed great joy. Wherever the Gospel is told, God has provided that there will never be starvation for wonder. Today we begin Holy Week, a gift of wonder from Him.

Love in Him,

Prue