Then those who went ahead and those who followed were shouting, “Hosanna!
    Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord!       –Mark 11:9

This Sunday is Palm Sunday, and our theme is: “The Good News… is inspiring us to act.”Our scripture comes from Gospel of Mark 11:1–11. It is the familiar story of Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem.

In Bible study this week, we discussed the possibility that there may have been two processions entering Jerusalem around the same time.

New Testament scholars like Marcus Borg and John Dominic Crossan teach that from the west, the Roman governor Pontius Pilate would have entered the city with a show of imperial force by parading into Jerusalem behind the government’s finest soldiers, horses, armor, and banners. This was Rome’s way of reminding the people who was in charge, especially during Passover, a festival that celebrated liberation.

From the east, Jesus enters, on a borrowed colt, surrounded not by soldiers but by ordinary people. No weapons. No armor. Just cloaks on the road, branches in the air, and voices crying out.

The contrast is striking. One procession proclaims power through domination. The other embodies power through humility, peace, and justice.

As the crowd shouts “Hosanna,” they are not simply offering praise. As in translated from Psalm 118:25, the word “Hosanna” comes from the Hebrew phrase hoshi‘a na, meaning “save us.” It is both a prayer and a cry for deliverance rising from people who know what it is to live under the weight of empire.

And the crowd doesn’t just watch this parade, they participate. The good news is… the people act. They lay down their cloaks. They raise their voices. They dare to hope out loud.

This Sunday, we will wonder together: Where is the good news inspiring us to act?
What are the “Hosannas” of our time? And how might we join in Christ’s way of humble, courageous, hope-filled witness?

I look forward to worshiping with you in person or on YouTube as we enter this sacred week together.