March 29, 2026 - Palm Sunday

Unlike the celebration of the parade of the day, Psalm 146 begins with a single voice.

Praise the Lord, my soul. Through my existence, I will praise God.

It seems like a mantra that you could say when you first woke up. A grounding statement for the day.

God, I know you are you. I want to make my life a witness.

Then the psalmist speaks a warning to themselves as they go about their daily routines. Something like remember -Do not put your trust in princes, bosses, council people, senators, representatives who cannot save. You may be tempted, but don’t do it.

Instead I need to rely on a God who created me.

This God is one who upholds oppressed people, feeds people, sets the incarcerated free, heals people, appreciates people who are in right relationships, cares about immigrants, holds close those who don’t have proper care, and stands against evil.

I would be a better person if I said this to myself before I got up each day. And I wonder if the people who gathered for this creative protest of traditional power knew these words in their bones. They had done the inner work to be able to call out with strength -

“Blessed is the king who comes in the name of the Lord!”

Hosanna! Hosanna! Hosanna!

They weren’t just celebrating, rather they were redirecting attention from traditional government styles to one that God was building anew.

They were a witness to what structures Jesus cared about which was not pomp and circumstance.. or fancy anything. He had not hired a PR firm to do publicity for him. In fact, His students had to run and find a donkey to borrow. I picture Jesus in this moment like the person who really doesn’t care about image so acts like he wants, dresses how he wants, and in doing so people are drawn to his authenticity. And somehow even with all the attention - remains humble. .

While hosanna save us might have been theatre - it is also true - they wanted a new way to live, not under the empire but instead of empire. A king who looks nothing like a king, and yet rules. This is likely true for us too. We want change - but only to an extent - we want clear lines and to shake up things only to what we can comprend.

Psalm 146 warns us about—princes, power, plans that promise salvation but cannot deliver. Systems that rise, make noise, demand loyalty… and then fade.

As God cares for all those that the government seems to throw away, Jesus has lived out something different. Jesus persistently, faithfully has shown how to live out what we see in Psalm 146.

Jesus isn’t commuting in, instead he is involved at a core level with the people around him. He reliably pitches into do the dirty work, not just for a picture with the right people. He has receipts to show that he shows up over and over to advocate and benefit the poor, instead of just saying the right words.

He is a proven civil servant, that you just hope and pray doesn’t get eaten by the system. The crowd has seen this work roots for him because they know him or have heard second hand stories of him. I can imagine they share stories of miracles, funny and relevant glimpses of a different world breaking in to each other. They have seen his work, and they approve. They have chosen to be at this protest, one that is demanding change of empire. But we know they weren’t ready for the change Jesus was suggesting as we look further into Holy Week.

Psalm 146 and Jesus entering the city that day speak to how God’s reign is different from what anyone has previously understood about governments.

God is faithful.

God’s reign is about restoring people to wholeness.

God’s reign is about welcoming people to be a part no matter there status, instead of creating a hierarchy of who is better than who.

God wants to be involved at a grassroots level with God’s people.

This may sound like a speech at a rally where everyone is excited. And yet, I realize that like after a rally that fills us with hope, we go back to real life. And it can be incredibly hard not to be seduced by the princes in our life.

That is why it is important to consistently return to this parade remembering Jesus - the King of all Kings, who refused the title, the prestige and the status.

And return to that one steady verse of:

Praise the Lord O my soul. Through my existence, I will praise God.

For creating this new way to be.

That power is not the end goal.

That speaking up for oppressed is seen as an honor and a privlege.

the invitation of this Palm Sunday is not just to join the crowd in their praise and wonderful protest signs—

it’s about centering our lives around the God

who doesn’t make worldly sense….

and to let our lives become part of God’s ongoing work in the world.

To praise not only with palms,

but with acts of justice.

To praise not only with songs,

but with solidarity.

Because God reigns—

not like the rulers of this world,

but as the one who lifts the lowly, feeds the hungry, frees the bound,

and calls us to do the same.

Let that be our saving grace.