Palm Sunday begins our celebration of Holy Week. A remembrance of Jesus' triumphant entry into Jerusalem which would bring about radical change and end His death upon a cross and His descending into hell. From darkness, to sorrow, and then the next week begins with the ultimate triumph of Easter and a risen Savior who paid the price and redeemed us, so that we too might have eternal life. Palm Sunday always reminds me of that Henry Fonda film, Mister Roberts. Not to be a spoiler, if you haven't seen the film and want too (something I recommend), don't read any further till you have seen it.
In the movie Fonda' character struggles with being "victorious." He cannot see how supervising cargo on a ship in the backwaters of the Pacific is helping the US war effort during World War II and he longs to "get into the action." During most of the film, he battles on his own and the crew's behalf against the only enemy they seem to have, their oppresive captain played by James Cagney. That battle involves the symbol of a palm tree and Mister Roberts is secretly awarded by his crew, the fictional "Order of the Palm" for action "above and beyond the call of duty" and the crew is even able to grant Mister Roberts his wish and get him transfered to the front lines of the Naval battle of World War II in the Pacific on board of combat ship where he will ultimately be killed by a kamikaze.
On that Palm Sunday long ago, the faithful gathered as Jesus entered the city and shouted "HOSANNA!" and laid Palm branches before Him as He went. The word had become one of praise but literally meant "SAVE WE PRAY!" or "SAVE US!" In the movie Mister Roberts, the crew likewise exclaims SAVE US, and Mister Roberts sacrifices himself to get the crew liberty. In our lives, we cry out SAVE US to our savior, Jesus the Messiah, who sacrificed Himself upon the Cross to pay the price necessary for us to be redeemed. Jesus gives us liberty from our sins and the penalty of death that sin brings. Just as the crew in the film said, "Thanks, Mister Roberts," we daily offer praise and thanks to our loving Lord and Savior Jesus the Messiah, shouting HOSANNA IN THE HIGHEST!
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