There’s a bitter sweetness for us who look back on Jesus’ procession into Jerusalem. It’s a joyous thing to know and acknowledge that Jesus is out there being celebrated – welcomed into Jerusalem as the King he truly is. Our joy however is tempered by sadness, knowing what lay ahead for him.
So now our Lenten journey approaches the sharpened point where Jesus is clearly headed to his destiny and ours. We know what happened. It is good for us to realize again the joy of that moment alongside the sadness of Jesus’ impending arrest, judgement and death. We know that Jesus went into Jerusalem carrying with him the curse of sin – our sin. He carried it with him all the way into the tomb. He went into battle for us. From here he emerged: battle over. The blessing of God had overcame sin and death and the powers of darkness. We still live with the curse of sin always nagging and chewing away at us. But better still we live with the blessing of mercy and forgiveness. With forgiveness, life with the Lord is assured. We are safe. We are saved.
We live.