Reading: Matthew 21:1-11
"Most
of the crowd spread their garments on the road."
Matthew 21:8
The worn, rutted footpaths and roads in Israel were rocky
and treacherous, and it was customary for townspeople to "prepare the
way" when someone important was approaching, making the ruts level and
removing rocks. It was also customary to lay down one's cloak, the outer
garment, before a king, as the servants of Ahab did before Jehu in 2 Kings
9:13. What kind of king were the people expecting? What kind of ruler were they
hoping for? One who would "smite the world perfect", as Dorothy
Sayers wrote? Since we cannot know the thoughts and motivations of the 1st c.
Judaeans along the road to Jerusalem, perhaps we should at least return to our
own 21st century lives and ask, how do we prepare the way for the coming of
Christ into the Jerusalem of our hearts?
Then cleansed be every life from
sin,
Make straight the way for God
within,
And let us all our hearts prepare
For Christ to come and enter there.
Amen
(Charles Coffin,
"On Jordan's Banks")
- Make a drawing, painting, or
poem in your journal.
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