Nourish: Joy (Palm Sunday)

This week is Palm Sunday, a day in the ancient Christian calendar when we remember Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem at the beginning of the Holy Week leading to Easter. It was a time of joy and expectation as the community welcomed Jesus with waved palms and laid out cloaks—signs of a royal, triumphal entry. It was a day of great celebration and hope. But it was also different than any one expected. Jesus represented a different kind of ruler than Jerusalem had ever known. Instead of entering a great stallion, Jesus rode in on a donkey. Instead of a leading an occupying army, Jesus led a procession of the people. Instead coming to rule and subjugate, Jesus came to serve and ultimately give everything to set the people free. It was nothing like anyone expected—it was so much better. Sometimes, joy is just like that. It isn’t found in the big deals or the places we might expect it, but in the unexpected, grounded places where God surprises us with the fact that the divine is with us in the everyday—God is with us every day. There is joy in the special things—sure—but there is joy in the simple things too, and that can make all of life pretty special. Join us this Sunday as we explore this profound truth and look for causes for joy right where we are.