A very large crowd
before and
behind
cried
out
“Hosanna 
to the Son of David”
as they spread their cloaks
and strewed leaves from the palm trees,
preparing the way for the king to enter Jerusalem.

The city’s people were shaken
 and they cried out,
 Who can this
 be?

Now we cry out too!
Who can this
 be?

We wave branches in welcome, but we ask,
 Jesus of Nazareth, who are you to us?
Our God who walks alongside us?
A King, crowned with thorns?
A light that shows
our way

Sweet
Jesus, you so
loved the world that you
set your face like flint toward us,
and gave your back to those who beat you,
and your cheek to the ones who plucked your beard!

Did
you ever
shield yourself
as we and they struck you?

 No.

You humbled yourself and
emptied yourself
 instead

out of love.

Let us share
in that

Sunset and sunrise, open our eyes
that we may find you
in all things.

Jeremiah, Romero, Dorothy Day:
morning after morning, you
 opened their
 ears.

Let us too hear the cry of the poor,
and let us speak on
 their behalf!

Open
our hearts
that we may love you,
 and hold nothing back, nothing at all