“I love a parade; The tramping of feet, I love every beat I hear of a drum. I love a parade! When I hear a band, I just wanna stand and cheer as they come!” This song, composed by Arlen & Koehler, expresses my sentiments exactly. I played a snare drum in the high school band and still get choked up when any band comes marching down the street.
I like to think that I would have stood and cheered when Jesus led His parade. I hope I would have been part of His band of disciples. Those cheers came from ordinary folks weary of the Roman military, and also burdened by religious legalism. No wonder they shouted, “Hosanna!” which means: SAVE PLEASE!
It wasn’t an ordinary parade. Unlike military leaders who returned triumphantly from war riding a charger, Jesus arranged His parade differently. He fulfilled the prophecy of Zechariah 9:9 by riding on a donkey. Back then, leaders rode horses if they rode to war, but they rode donkeys if they came in peace.
By choosing a donkey, Jesus also emulated the peaceful transfer of power from King David to his son, Solomon, who entered Jerusalem riding on a donkey (1 Kings 1:38-48).
So, for those who awaited the Messiah, if they still had any doubts, Jesus’ triumphal entry confirmed His Messianic royalty as well as His humility. “Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord!”
Today, with all the suffering on earth, I pray “Hosanna/Save Please!” as I try to be part of the solutions and not part of whatever problems we face. While promoting the kingdom of God on earth, I keep one eye on the sky, anticipating the all-time greatest parade: His second coming.
St. Paul encourages us in 1 Thessalonians 4:16-17, saying that the ultimate parade will be announced with a loud angelic command and the brilliant summons of a trumpet when the Lord Himself comes down from heaven. The dead in Christ will rise first to join the Lord in the air, followed by the living who will meet up with the procession to escort Christ to His everlasting reign on earth, where He will put everything right. What a wonderful parade that will be!
For reflection:
- Do you yearn for Christ’s return? In the meantime, will you pray: Hosanna/Save Please!
- As you wait, what are you doing to fulfill His will on earth as it is in heaven?
by Diana Otterbacher
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