A simple little piece of a palm branch. It’s funny how the little things will bring back such a flood of memories.

I can see it now as if it were yesterday. I can see the people. I can hear the singing. I can feel the warm sunshine and the excitement.

Shall I tell you about it? It’s a day that’s burned into my memory – a day that started out as just an ordinary day.

It happened a long time ago. I was just a little girl – maybe 9 or 10 years old.

We were preparing for Passover and my mother was so busy. Every nook and cranny of our house must be cleaned. I guess I was excited and underfoot, so she sent me outside to brush the dust away from the doorstep. It was a beautiful sunny day and I took my time. It was so much nicer outdoors than inside listening to my mother fuss about.

As I lazily swept the dirt, I began to notice a noise in the distance. I didn’t know what it was so I ran out to the roadside to get a better look. Down the road, I saw a big crowd coming. They were certainly in a good mood. Everyone was laughing and dancing. People were shouting "Hosanna". As they got closer I could see that some were waving palm branches. This was the most excitement I had ever seen.

What could be going on?

What was it all about?

Then I saw him. In the middle of this crowd was a man, riding on a colt. He rode along quietly while all around him, people shouted and sang. Hosannas filled the air. As he got closer, people began to throw their shawls and cloaks down before him to ride over. I don’t know what ever possessed me. I guess I got caught up in it all, but I grabbed the cloth Mother had drying on the bushes and threw it down on the ground for him to pass by. You know, I still have that cloth, and it still has the colt’s hoof prints on it. I’ve saved it all these years. Here it is. Can you still see the marks? They’re getting a little faded, but then it was a long time ago.

Well, I dropped my broom in a hurry and followed the crowd into the city. Whatever was happening, I wanted to be a part of it. I even ran ahead so I could turn and get a good look at this person they were so excited about. Do you know what – I recognized him! Just a few weeks before, my father had heard about a man called Jesus, who was preaching such different things, things the people had never heard before – yet wonderful, wonderful things. Everyone was talking about him and what he was saying. We wanted to hear for ourselves, so our whole family went out into the hills to listen to him. We spent the day there. We just couldn’t get enough of his preaching. He talked about love, and caring for each other, about accepting people instead of condemning them. It was wonderful. We were so used to the Law and the rules of the Rabbis and all their talk about punishment. It was so good to hear the good news that God is also gentle and kind and that God loves us so very much.

There were hundreds and hundreds of people on the hillside that day and we hung on every word he spoke. We were there all day long, yet the hours passed so quickly. People started to get hungry. Still, no one would leave. Finally, his disciples tried to send us all away to find food but we didn’t want to leave. Jesus asked what food there was but only one boy had brought something – two fishes and five loaves of bread. It certainly wouldn’t feed that big hungry crowd, but do you know what happened? I bet you’ve heard this story before but it’s true. I saw it with my own eyes. He took those few loaves and fishes and he prayed to God, blessed the food, and then started to pass it out. Everyone ate their fill and the disciples even collected baskets of leftovers afterwards. No one went hungry. Just two fishes and some bread. I surely saw a miracle that day.

We talked about it on the way home and ever since we have marveled at that man Jesus and all that happened that day on the hillside. Now, here was this same man riding on a colt right past my house, going into Jerusalem. No wonder everyone was so excited. It was like a great parade!!

You know, now that I am older, I have thought about Jesus and that day so often. I’ve tried to understand what happened afterward, but I just can’t. How could such a wonderful, happy, exciting day turn into such a terrible thing just a few short days later? One day, we were all happy and cheering. It was so good. And then ………..

Then everything changed. Those closest to him betrayed him. I can’t understand that. He was such a good man and talked only of love – God’s love for us and how we should love each other. How could they have done that? I don’t know, but they did. He was arrested and taken before the authorities. Then the crowds turned on him. Those who had been shouting his praises were suddenly calling for his death. It was awful. It was crazy and I was so frightened and confused.

I don’t think I can really talk about that day – at least not now. Maybe if you come back next week, I will find the courage to tell that story. I can only say that that black time was really the beginning of life for us – but we didn’t know it then. We were just confused and afraid.

Today, I want to remember the happiness and the joy with which it all started. There will be time later to remember the rest.

Back to my story. As Jesus rode on, I looked into his eyes and saw only sorrow. In the midst of all this celebration and happiness, he looked sad. It didn’t make sense then – especially to a child – but when I look back, I think he must have known what was coming. He must have known that he would be betrayed – that those who had been closest to him would turn away – that in the end only his mother and a few women would sit beneath his cross and weep. And if he knew, why did he go? Why would someone willingly go to their death – and such a painful, cruel death at that? Why?

Because he truly is the Son of God.

Because God loves us so very much, he sent this Jesus to help us find God. We had been a lost people and Jesus came and told us the stories, he gave us the prayer, he taught us how to live God’s will. And, when even all of that was not enough, he died on a cross for us. He gave his life and now I know that even when this worn out old body breathes its last, I will still live. Because he died, I shall never truly die.

He did all that – and not just for the people who were in the crowd that day. He did it for the whole world and all the generations to come. He died for you and he died for me and we must live for him.

Well, my goodness, I’ve taken up a lot of your time chattering away here about those long ago days, but you know how it is when you have something important to share. You just can’t stop And this was important. I knew I had to tell you about that glorious day – about that joyful walk to Jerusalem.

Come back next week. We will share more of the story then.