Who is this man???

Six Letters of Palm Sunday

April 2, 2023

 Scripture: Philippians 2:5-11, Matthew 21:1-11

        The events leading up to and surrounding Palm Sunday, when Jesus entered Jerusalem were filled with hope in the minds and hearts of the disciples, as well as a mixture of fear and trepidation. For Jesus had met with stiff resistance of late from the Temple Authorities, and many were those who despised him and the radical way he preached and seemed, at least to them, to dismiss much of the practice and ritual of the Jewish faith. For the disciples, pretty much all of them believed that this was the moment when Jesus would finally and fully rise up as the new Messiah, as the Promised One sent from above to redeem and save Israel.

For those opposed to Jesus, some of whom had been actively hunting him in order to silence him, his arrival in Jerusalem provided the perfect opportunity to finally put their sinister plans in motion.

It is against this backdrop that I let my imagination wander…as well as wonder what might have been going through the minds of the central characters at this time. I pray that my musings will cause a stir within your own hearts as we reimagine the events of that first Palm Sunday…

First Letter

        So many people have been asking, ‘Who is he?’…I will tell you…Jesus is a man, an extraordinary man to be sure, but a man after my own heart…he has always sought to reach out and to help those who are in need, or those who have had a hard time in life.  He has never tried to hurt anyone; rather he has only tried to speak the truth as he understands it to be.  He has always been very close to God, and spends a lot of time in prayer all alone…

Personally, I don’t know why he is so set on going into Jerusalem at this time. It pains my heart to even think about it. For it is almost time for the beginning of the Passover celebration and the city will be so crowded. I am sure that the authorities will be on high alert for anything that even hints at trouble or discord. And while I don’t think he is looking for trouble with them, his words seem to have a way of always upsetting them.

I tell you, he is a good person and only wants people to trust in God, and to look to God as the One who will save all of us and set us free one day. His band of followers is very loyal, but I still think it might be unwise for him to go right now.  I am worried and afraid for Him.

 I think that I will follow from a distance so as not to get in his way, and of course I will continue to pray constantly for his safety, just like I always have. For you see, Jesus is my first born son…yes, my name is Mary…

Second Letter

Who is this man that is causing so much chaos and commotion?  I have heard many say that he thinks he can speak for God…imagine that! I mean, that is our job, our sacred responsibility as the Priests of God’s Holy Temple. We are the ones who are supposed to stand between God and the people. If someone has an issue they are supposed to come to us, for only we have access to the Holy of Holies, the very residence of our God! We are the mediators of both God’s grace, and of truth. Who is this man Jesus to try and take away our authority?

You know, at first I thought he was another one of those who was trying to get rid of Rome, and of all those who have made our lives so miserable for so long. But now it seems as though he has also taken aim at us, at the Holy Priesthood of the One High God of our ancestors, Abraham, Isaac, and Jacob. How dare he question our authority?      

Actually, off the record, I sound more concerned than I really am. For you see it has been rumored that he just entered the Holy City riding on a donkey. Can you imagine? A donkey!  Doesn’t he know, it is only those people of questionable character, or those with certain moral flaws who are set on a donkey and paraded through the city like that!  Surely others, in addition to myself, have seen through his game, and have realized that ultimately he is not really a threat. There is no way he can be a real Prophet. And you can be sure, he is not the Messiah!  He will probably end up being just like all the rest of the ‘messiah pretenders’ we have seen over the years. All talk and no substance. As soon as they are seriously challenged they give up, and their movement dies out right after they are stopped.  Anyone who considers themselves so unworthy as to ride into the city of the Most High God riding on a donkey is of little concern to me. I just wish he wouldn’t get the people so worked up. We enjoy a decent working relationship with Pontius Pilate, and I do not want to get him upset over a bunch of noisy people with bad attitudes! I do not think this man is really a threat, and I don’t think his movement will last even a week…then we ‘real’ Priests can get back to the business of administering the faith of God’s people…I say, let’s just ignore him, shall we?…

Third Letter

I just don’t understand! Where is the official reception committee?  I thought there was always a welcoming party that comes out of the city when such an important person comes to visit. And surely the news of all Jesus has done reached Jerusalem a long time ago. I just don’t get it, it is a bit unnerving to say the least.Almost as if there is no one here, other than those who walked in with us who are happy to see him…why is that I wonder?

It seems strange that someone who has done so much for so many is not even acknowledged by the City and the Church Officials. Didn’t they overhear what all of the people from Galilee who led the procession into the city center were saying? There is no way they could have missed the loud shouts and songs of praise?  It is so strange…so strange…

Now I must admit, maybe I am a bit biased, for you see I have been traveling alongside of him for almost three years now and I have seen so much. And I assure you, that there is no way he is not the long-promised deliverer of our people! I tell you Jesus is the Messiah, he is the Son of David who has finally come to save and deliver us! Look out Rome, a new King is in town!

Actually, maybe I am speaking out of turn, For he is so humble, he really doesn’t like it when I talk about him being the ‘King’. He keeps resisting any of that talk, instead saying something about ‘his kingdom not being of this world’, So humble…but you just wait and see! He will show you who is really in charge, and soon!  I can feel it in my bones…the time for Rome to finally take a back seat, in fact the last seat, is fast approaching. The Reign of the new King Jesus is about to begin!

You know, I just can’t wait for the day when each of us gets to play our part in his new Kingdom!  He is the Messiah I am sure…and you know how I know?  Because I told him so! And after I did, he said that only God on High could have revealed that to me…yep, I told him so myself.

So look out Rome, Jesus and Peter, are in the house!

Fourth Letter

Who is this man?…Who is this man?…Yesterday I would have told you I was absolutely sure that I knew exactly who he was…but now today I don’t know what to think…

I just can’t believe it!  I am so mad I don’t know what I am going to do!   He seems to have completely lost his laser focus on the task at hand; he is acting like an ordinary person, not like the Prophet King I was sure he was.  I admit, he has always been a bit different and often acted in ways that I think were unimportant, but I never was able to deny his power and authority…but now this!

He is stepping away from his calling I am sure…and just at the point when He was ready to assume his greatest victory! The full and final conquest of Jerusalem, the Holy City itself!  I am so upset I am just beside myself. You know, for so long I have taken care of business for him, I have taken care of all the little details to make this whole mission go smoothly. How could he choose not to listen to me at this critically important time?

What do I mean you ask?  I will tell you! He has chosen to ride into the holy city on a donkey!! A donkey! The most humiliating thing he could have done. Only the lowest kind of people ride on donkeys! Important people ride on a war horse, or at least on a mule which is a sign of strength and power…but a lowly donkey?

Even that old blind man on the roadside knew who he was, even he called him the ‘Son of David’, the name we have always reserved for the Messiah.

I was so sure all this time…now I just don’t know. Maybe he really doesn’t have what it takes to overthrow the power of Rome and to restore the Kingdom of David and Solomon. Son of David?  Maybe, maybe not…I am not so sure who he is anymore…

Who am I you ask?  My name is Judas…Judas Iscariot.

Fifth Letter

Who is this man?  I am not really sure who he is, but I can tell you some stuff about him. Last week we were trying to get close enough to see him and everyone kept pushing us away. The crowd was noisy and pushy, and only the men were allowed to get close enough to really see and hear him.

The men there made us feel like we were not important enough to be able to see him and to talk to him. But you know what?  He saw us and yelled at them, saying, ‘Let them come to me’, which is just what we did.

And then, then it was amazing! He was so kind and understanding. It’s like…it’s like he knew us or something! And his eyes…they were kind of sparkly. When he looked at you it felt all warm inside, like he was looking deep inside of you…like he already knew you!  

We told him all kinds of things and he smiled and shared some of his stories too, and you know what?  He made God seem so close, so reachable. Almost like he was right there, almost like we could just reach out and touch him…

I hope we get a chance to see him again…my mom says he is going to be in Jerusalem for a long time. She says that he might be the Son of David that everyone has been waiting for, for so long. I don’t know much about that kind of stuff, but I do know he is my new best friend. I do know he listens and helps me whenever I am sad…

So…I am not really sure who Jesus is …but I do know he is a friend to us kids…

Sixth and Final Letter

I knew that my friends would gather around when we finally got close to the Holy City. Just like I was sure that very few within the city walls really knew much about what we had been doing over the past three years.

I am so sorry Mother, for these next few days are going to be so hard on you. I love you and would never wish your fate upon another. You have been so kind and wondrous to me…you gave me much to hope for, and to believe in…your love has always been so inspiring…

        And my dear, dear Priests…I know you cannot see right now…the scriptures foretold your blindness and stubbornness, but one day you will come to understand…

        Peter, I so love you for your genuine humanness. You are one of the most faithful friends I have ever had. Hold fast through the coming trials, and remember all we have seen and done over the past three years. I will never leave your heart, please remember me in the breaking of the bread…

        Judas…I am sad that you could not see through your own ideas of why I came. I know your heart was in the right place and that you too shared a burden for the people. But I did not come to conquer and overthrow through force. Rather, I came to show that God’s ways, are ways of love and compassion. I am so sorry…

        And lastly, my dear, dear young children. I call you to watch and to listen most carefully. I am going to go away soon for a while. But I am going to send back to you my friend the Holy Spirit. The Spirit is a wonderful friend and will come to you and live deep within your heart…you can go to her whenever you have a problem or a need…she will stay with you, always close within your heart…

        I love you and will always treasure the times we spent together. Take care of your moms and tell your dads not to be so serious…

        And now, I must be going, I need to be prepared for all that is to come this week. If you need me I will be in the Garden of Gethsemane praying…please, please remember, I love you all so dearly,

Your dear friend, Jesus of Nazareth