It was on a Palm Sunday, when a young college student heard the homily and the the hymns which seemed for him to miss the point. After the service, he told the pastor that his homily and the hymn, sound as if you think that 'Hosanna' means 'Hallelujah'. It doesn't. Hallelujah means 'Praise the Lord.' Hosanna means 'Save us'. With this new focus, you might better ask yourself this question: What do you want Jesus to save you from?
Seriously think about this question for a moment. It might depend on what stage in life you find yourself. For some might answer, save me from a nursing home, or chronic pain or worse dementia in which I will not be able to recognize my kids. If you are just starting out with a family, you might scream out to Jesus to save me from another downsizing, or exhaustion, or fear of losing my health insurance or worse losing my child to an accident or some miserable disease. As a young college student, you might pray to Jesus to save you from your next exam or project, or save you from youy family that has so much pain in its history or save you from your addiction to alcohol and prescription drugs that keeps you up all night. From patients, I will hear their emotional pain will cry out to be saved from their overwhelming caseloads, depression, separation, discrimination, alcoholism and gambling.
Imagine Jesus walking into Jerusalem on Palm Sunday and the people are desperately crying out to be saved from their fears of terrorism from the Roman guard, discrimination against women and children and disease which has no cure.
Pray and reflect on Psalm 27: "The Lord is my light and salvation whom should I fear? The Lord is my life’s refuge; of whom should I be afraid?"
Lord, I pray for all my Sonshine Friends who walk with you this Holy Week to learn that You are the ONE with the Words of everlasting life. It is a life that knew loneliness and suffering. It is a life that comes to bring us the strength and courage to carry on in this life for we are NEVER alone. Wait for Lord with courage, be stouthearted and wait for the Lord.
