Jesus said, “Now my soul is troubled, and what shall I say? ‘Father, save Me from this hour’? No, it was for this very reason I came to this hour. Father, glorify Your name!” Then a voice came from heaven, “I have glorified it, and will glorify it again.” (John 12:27-28 NIV)
Serious reflection on the Scripture references for Palm Sunday remind us that Jesus did not take a leisurely ride to town along a path strewn with palm branches. That first Palm Sunday saw the final ride on the high road of principle, obedience, and faith that would lead to the death of Jesus. The disciples may have wished otherwise, but deep in their hearts they must have known that this ride was like no other Jesus had taken and would bring the end of the life they knew as His followers.
We can be sure that Jesus knew that the shouts of “Hosanna” would give way to the cry of “Crucify.” He knew because He was fully human and was well acquainted with the temptation to follow the path of political correctness and the easiest way out. He also knew the shouts would change from “Hosanna” to “Crucify” because He was fully divine and could see clearly that His journey of incarnation was near the end. The coming humiliation and execution were now undeniable. His desire to be faithful was so overwhelmingly strong that He rode on in confidence and ultimate trust in God whom He knew intimately as Abba. There was no looking back with the question, “What if?” His focus remained on God and God’s will as He moved forward, propelled and sustained by His deep faith in God’s goodness and love.
-- Norman Shawchuck and Rueben P. Job in “A Guide to Prayer for All Who Seek God”
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