Which crowd?

Luke 19:36-40

As he rode along, people kept spreading their cloaks on the road. As he was now approaching the path down from the Mount of Olives, the whole multitude of the disciples began to praise God joyfully with a loud voice for all the deeds of power that they had seen,

saying,

“Blessed is the king

who comes in the name of the Lord!

Peace in heaven,

and glory in the highest heaven!”

Some of the Pharisees in the crowd said to him, “Teacher, order your disciples to stop.” He answered, “I tell you, if these were silent, the stones would shout out.”

This is the time

to work out

who we are

without a crowd.

We, who are so fickle 

often drawn in by popular opinion

often dragged along for the ride

have the opportunity

to question

who we are

and what we believe.

Will we still cry out

Hosanna!

Lord save us!

Or will we keep on colluding

with political forces

that oppress the poor

and allow the rich to prosper?

Silencing the voices of dissent

ignoring pleas for justice?

This Palm Sunday

away from the crowd,

whose name is on our lips

and whose creed

is written on our heart?

Blessed is the One who comes in the name of the Lord.

Hosanna!