“They Called Him Blessed”

Signs made by Sunday School children for the Palm Sunday procession.

A Meditation on Palm Sunday
By Magdalena I. García

“Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord!”
John 12:13

He went into their crowded city
and received much recognition.
They called him “Blessed,”
because they were crushed
by the weight of impotence.
It was a cry born out of captivity;
a chant that expressed
their deepest yearning.

He stands outside our crowded city
and is often denied admission.
We don’t call him “Blessed,”
because we are puffed
by the illusion of sufficiency.
It is a silence born out of apathy;
a muteness that reflects
our deepest pride.

Except that once in a while,
when we get into a tight spot,
we name him in our pedestrian supplications.

We call him Tylenol:
Jesus is a proven analgesic
when we need to find relief
from relentless aches and pains.

We call him Ajax:
Jesus is a potent cleanser
when we need to be released
from sticky situations.

We call him Starbucks:
Jesus is a quick booster
when we need to be uplifted
from discouragement and gloom.

We call him Gatorade:
Jesus is a reliable energizer
when we need to gather strength
to outperform competitors.

We call him Crazy Glue:
Jesus is a secure adhesive
when we need to put back together
the pieces of our broken lives.

He stands outside our crowded lives
awaiting invitation.
Will we go proudly on our way
hushing our deepest longings?
Or will we join the chorus of pilgrims
that humbly confess their yearnings,
crying, “Blessed...Blessed...Blessed.”

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