Jeff Gagliardi

Palm Sunday

On the day we call Palm Sunday, Christ entered Jerusalem in fulfillment of Zechariah’s prophecy. He rode
through the gate in humility, on the colt of a donkey — among the most humble of beasts. When he traveled
to Bethlehem in his mother’s womb it was a donkey who bore them. It was a donkey who carried them to
Egypt to escape Herod’s wrath. And a donkey likely was among the first creatures to see him at his birth.
The humble donkey enjoyed the greatest honor.
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Many palms greeted him. Palms were laid at his feet while palm fronds and human palms were raised in
triumphal praise. Christ had also raised his palms — extended in both blessing and in beseeching the crowd;
“I would gather your children together as a hen gathers her brood under her wings, but you were not willing!”
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They were not willing. Instead of openness he received closed fists. He had looked for fruit on a fig tree (a
symbol of Israel) and should have at least seen the signs that fruit was to come but he found nothing. Just
pretty leaves, but no real fruit.
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He would have gathered them together but they were not willing.