As this scene unfolds, we can imagine the contagious joy and enthusiasm. First, the disciples begin their shouts of praise, then maybe it is the children who become part of the chorus, and finally, even their parents and neighbors join in. These everyday people have been weighed down by the burden of the Roman occupation, the almost impossible religious and cultural expectation, and the fear of what might happen if there is ever a misstep. Their people have been waiting for centuries for someone to free them from all of this. They have been looking for a messiah. How exciting it must have been to believe, even if for a moment, that Jesus was the One who would redeem them! It must have been an incredible feeling to just give themselves over to hope and joy, with little thought given to the ramifications.
When was the last time you let down your guard and gave yourself over to the experience of hope and joy? Were you by yourself or were others around you? If you were going to be caught up in this type of praise for Jesus, who would you want to accompany you?
Think of your greatest hopes and biggest dreams both for your life and for the world. Offer them up to God and find joy in the promise that God is already at work, redeeming, reconciling, and re-creating. As you close your prayer, shout (or whisper, depending on where you are!), “Hosanna in the highest! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!”