Do You Hear the People Sing

As [Jesus, riding on a donkey] went along, people spread their cloaks on the road. When he came near the place where the road goes down the Mount of Olives, the whole crowd of disciples began joyfully to praise God in loud voices for all the miracles they had seen:

“Blessed is the king who comes in the name of the Lord!”

“Peace in heaven and glory in the highest!” - Luke 19:36-38

It was just before Passover, and the pilgrims on the road to Jerusalem were singing, as they so often did. Their songs helped them pass the time as they traveled, helped them stay connected with each other and with their purpose. But today the song took on a different tenor - to really “get it,” we may need to capture some old school, Les Mis vibes.

Do you hear the people sing, singing a song of angry men? It is the music of a people who will not be slaves again…

Praising this somewhat odd, gentle, donkey riding king Jesus meant rejecting the empire currently in charge. Calling out for peace challenged the reigning culture of violence and oppression. This was a song of revolution, an ancient song of protest and longing for the world to be made whole again. More than just a parade, these pilgrims were launching a protest against the status quo, with Jesus as their rallying cry.

What songs are you being invited to join in this week? Who are you invited to sing or walk along with? Mull these things over with Jesus and remember:

“… praise isn’t something we do alone, nor is it reserved for the pew. We’re part of a great chorus that includes the ground beneath our feet, the birds wheeling overhead, the trees stretching toward the sky. When we cannot praise, when fear or doubt or oppression silence our voices, the rest of creation carries the song.” - Jasmine Pittman, Christian Century