Palm Sunday Amid COVID-19

“[They] took branches of palm trees and went out to meet Him and cried out: Hosanna! ‘Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord!’ The King of Israel!...” “Fear not, daughter of Zion; Behold, your King is coming, sitting on a donkey’s colt.” John 12:13, 15

As our world continues to grapple with the fallout from the outbreak of COVID-19, the places, events, and activities that typically have our attention have moved to the backs of our minds. Many of us have turned our living spaces into classrooms, cafeterias, rec centers, and offices. Not only have our physical spaces changed, but our mindsets have had to change, too. From figuring out how to use Zoom, Microsoft Teams, AND Go To Meeting (because the three meetings you attended in one day each used a different platform 😊) to learning how to access your tools and files in order to get work done, many of us have had to rewire our thinking in order to keep up with our work responsibilities. Friend, to be honest, I would not be surprised if there are some among us who became exhausted over the past couple of weeks just doing the work to get settled into this temporary reality- while working. Let that sink in for a minute. We are inundated with so much information that it can be a bit unsettling if we’re not careful. Every for-profit and non-profit industry has been upended by the devastating health crisis and many businesses are taking the opportunity to pivot their service offerings to meet the needs of people who are directly and indirectly affected. (Ruby’s Pantry from Ruby Tuesday’s. Look it up. Be amazed by this fabulous idea.)

Now, before I go on, let me say that I do not for one second minimize the dire nature of what is happening outside the walls of my home. The medical community is waist deep in the trenches of saving lives. Essential personnel, volunteers, nonprofit organizations and church outreach teams are on the frontlines of making sure that people have the food, transportation, and access to goods and services that help us accomplish our activities of daily living. Religious organizations, employers, organization decision makers, educators, and facilitators are taking the reins online to make sure that those who are not directly affected by the outbreak are kept safe, engaged and focused on what’s important to them. This global shift in how the world turns is not without its challenges, but it is certainly for our own protection. And I am mighty grateful for and prayerful for the people who are on the frontline of handling the matters associated with the outbreak.

Life is in flux right now. The world is on the world stage as nations across the globe work to get a handle on containing the spread of COVID-19 and saving the lives of those who have tested positive for it. The fallout is a shared experience for people across the globe.

I’d like to highlight another experience that is shared across the globe. The observance of Palm Sunday. Palm Sunday is a Christian feast that takes place the Sunday before Easter. (This year, in the western hemisphere it is observed Sunday, April 5^th and in the eastern hemisphere it is Sunday, April 12^th.) It is a time set aside for Christians all over the world to reflect on Jesus’ victorious entry into Jerusalem as King. As Jesus road in on a foal, the people celebrated Him by throwing palm branches and their cloaks on the ground while crying out “Hosanna! Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord. King of Israel.” Hosanna is a Hebrew word that is translated to mean “Lord, save us” and is said to express special honor to the One who saves- Jesus Christ.

The depiction of what happened at Jesus’ triumphant entry can be found in all four Gospels- Matthew 21:1-11, Mark 11:1-11, Luke 19:28-40, John 12:12-16

According to the Pew Research Center, there are 2.2 billion Christians around the world. That is nearly one-third of the world’s population of 7.8 billion. Over the course of the next several days, the cherished opportunity to reflect on Christ as King will be what unites us around the world. Not calamities…not our troubles…not the clamor of life- but Jesus Christ. So if you’ve been fearful, anxious, unsettled, or even angry at the state of our world and possibly the state of things in your life, I invite you to switch things up a bit and focus on Jesus and His rule as King. When Christ is the head of your life and the decision is made to let your heart be ruled by His teachings, I am a witness that you will experience hope and peace that will hold you together during the darkest of days. If you don’t know Jesus as Savior, try Him. If you know Jesus as your Savior, trust Him. In the days ahead, take some time to honor Him as the One whom God sent to save us.