Yesterday was Palm Sunday, and I walked the path that Jesus took.
We started in Bethany, near the home of Mary, Martha, and Lazarus, behind the Mount of Olives. From there we walked a pretty long way down to the old city.
There were people from every area of the earth, singing in so many tongues I lost count. There were small children trying to sell a tiny little stick with a few leaves on it for a sheckel.
One thing I couldn't figure out was why the catholics sounded so sad. Their group was at the end, having the patriarch of Jerusalem with them and all. They sang the same song over and over again. I say singing, but it was really more like chanting.
Wasn't this supposed to be a happy day? I mean, I'm sure Jesus wasn't feeling too good, knowing what was going to happen in less than a week, but everyone else was pretty jubilant. They thought that Jesus was going to be the one to take them out from under Roman rule.
It's a little ironic that now it's mostly arabs and internationals who march, and not the jews.
Believe me, there was no rush. I think I could have walked it three times in the time it took the patriarch. We did make it eventually, and our group went in singing as we entered the Lion's gate (the gate that Jesus took is now closed until he arrives again, and the lion's gate is the next one over.)
We stopped, the patriarch did some sort of blessing, and then the real party began. (I was hoping that wasn't it. Come on.) The scouts from different churches, orthodox, and catholic formed their lines and moved out, marching around the city with their drums and their bagpipes. That is how a King should be welcomed into the city. (Not with chanting, please.) And they were children....how special is that?
I was especially proud because a few of the scouts are students of mine. :)