Palm Sunday

Palm Sunday begins Holy Week, the most solemn and significant seven days in the annual Christian calendar. It's a day that highlights the both/and reality of the Christian life.

We are invited to embrace it all.

Both the Triumphal Entry of Jesus and the entrance into his place of death.

Both the joy of his presence and the sorrow of what is to come.

Both the power of his being and the humility of his reign.

Both the world’s excitement for his coming and his anticipation of what’s next.

Both the crowds of people who welcomed him and the few who would remain just a week later.

Both the fulfillment of a prophecy and the misunderstanding of what it would mean.

Both the symbol of victory with the palm branches and the actual victory which had yet to come.

Both the hope for freedom from oppression and the faith to continue believing even if it’s not what we hope.

Both the desire for political peace and the need for spiritual peace.

Take some time today to consider where you may need to make space for both … and … in your life today.

Maybe there is the presence of both joy and sorrow.

Perhaps your days are filled with both laughter and tears.

It could be that you need to both accept that you are loved and continue to pursue growth.

Maybe you’re realizing that others have both done their best and still let you down.

Maybe you are both overwhelmed by and grateful for your job.

We are quick to create false dichotomies for ourselves and others. But when we look at Palm Sunday, we have to accept that often more than one thing is true. We can both celebrate the arrival of our King and accept that we don’t know what’s next.

What both/and realities is He asking you to make space for today?