D.L.

“The next day, the news that Jesus was on the way to Jerusalem swept through the city. A large crowd of Passover visitors
took palm branches and went down the road to meet him. They shouted, “Praise God! Blessings on the one who comes in the name of the LORD! Hail to the King of Israel!”
Jesus found a young donkey and rode on it, fulfilling the prophecy that said:
“Don’t be afraid, people of Jerusalem. Look, your King is coming, riding on a donkey’s colt.”
His disciples didn’t understand at the time that this was a fulfillment of prophecy. But after Jesus entered into his glory, they remembered what had happened and realized that these things had been written about him.
Many in the crowd had seen Jesus call Lazarus from the tomb, raising him from the dead, and they were telling others about it. That was the reason so many went out to meet him—because they had heard about this miraculous sign. Then the Pharisees said to each other, “There’s nothing we can do. Look, everyone has gone after him!”
Some Greeks who had come to Jerusalem for the Passover celebration paid a visit to Philip, who was from Bethsaida in Galilee. They said, “Sir, we want to meet Jesus.” Philip told Andrew about it, and they went together to ask Jesus.
Jesus replied, “Now the time has come for the Son of Man to enter into his glory. I tell you the truth, unless a kernel of wheat is planted in the soil and dies, it remains alone. But its death will produce many new kernels—a plentiful harvest of new lives.”
(John 12,12–24 NLT-SE)

I don’t know—honestly, imagination can take us to many places and different scenarios. However, we do have a biblical text that describes Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem, and in this narrative presented by the Gospel of John, we can see a Jesus who sets the pace. Every stride of the mule He rides is one step closer to His final destination: the Cross.

Jerusalem, the city of God, the place of the temple—where the presence of the Most High was known and sought—not only by the faithful but also by those who, although pagans, are seeking Jesus. Where are you in this story? Where am I in this narrative? We have been invited to take part in this pilgrimage; we don’t have the option to remain passive or ignore what is happening as we read, in real time, about what took place in a Jerusalem very different from today’s.

What would Jesus’ arrival to the city look like today? Would you be singing, shouting, waving palm branches? Or perhaps you are observing everything, scanning the scene, and in the blink of an eye, He is right in front of you. What would Jesus’ entry into your city be like?

Jesus, surrounded by His disciples, listening: “Hosanna!”
“Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord!” Just imagine that you are in the crowd and suddenly, you see Him—you are just steps away from being able to touch Him. Jesus’ gaze is fixed on the city that will witness His death. His face bears a look of serious resolve, yet His eyes are brimming with tears long suppressed, to the point that it causes pain. It is sorrow—the despair of a city that has everything it needs to know and encounter God, yet remains distant from Jesus.

We encounter different characters in this story. For example, the crowd, which sings and celebrates. There are the religious leaders, who oppose Jesus and everything that is happening, even reaching the point of giving up, since they cannot control the people. There are Jesus’ disciples, who cannot understand what is happening, nor grasp Jesus when He speaks of how this city, which now welcomes Him, will condemn Him to death. And there are the Greeks, who seek Jesus—they want to see Him, hear Him, understand Him, and perhaps worship Him. What we do know is that the Greeks’ search triggers a series of events and clarifies the true determination of Jesus’ mission.

Where are you in the story? Are you with the crowd, or do you identify with the religious leaders? Perhaps you don’t understand, as the disciples did. Or maybe you have a deep desire to encounter Jesus.

The truth is, Jesus did not come as the kind of king they imagined. There was no war horse, no armour, no signs of military conquest. Instead, He came riding on a donkey—humble, peaceful, almost silent amid the noise.
This week is not like any other; it is filled with questions, mystery, real events, and above all, fulfilled prophecies. Jesus, together with His disciples, prepares a meal to celebrate the Passover, remembering the liberation of the people from slavery in Egypt, when the angel of death passed over the houses marked with the blood of a lamb.

Jesus speaks, and in a solemn moment declares that His life will be given as a sacrifice like a lamb. He takes the bread and the wine, leaving a simple yet profound example of what His death and resurrection mean.
It is on this night that a series of events is set in motion—from betrayal to His death on a Friday. But this is not the end—it is the beginning. And the best was yet to come.