If you listen intently, you can hear the crowd. Off in the distance, a muffled roar, indistinguishable words, then a cheer, and then a chant: "Hosanna! Hosanna! Hosanna!" You can sense the excitement in the air. You find yourself climbing a tree to cut off a palm branch. Soon, you start straining to see through all the other waving palm branches. You may even find yourself shouting "Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest!" And if you are the kind of person who thinks about such matters, you may even wonder what all this is about. Who is this man on the donkey that the people are treating like a king? What kind of king is this? But one thing’s for sure, when this odd king arrives, the political and religious higher achy were going to be challenged.

Luke's gospel is very clear in making the point that Jesus is coming as a king who will lay claim to Jerusalem. He enters from the main gate with a procession welcoming Him as the new king. Clothes and palm branches are waved, and Jesus rides into the city like a victor. With His followers crying out;

"Blessed is the king who comes in the name of the Lord. Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!"