Palm Sunday

On the original Palm Sunday (although I'm not certain it was a Sunday) Jesus entered Jerusalem to claim His crown as King of the Universe. Of course for Him this meant suffering and death. He then conquered death and ascended to sit down at the right hand of God. Our hero had to suffer. This is a theme that resonates deep in our hearts. Every hero faces great suffering. Every movie you watch and book you read involves the suffering hero. No one would be stirred by Maximus in "Gladiator" if faced no opposition. No one would give a rip if William Wallace in "Braveheart" had an easy street to procure freedom. So why should it strike us as odd that the greatest hero of all time, God Himself, should face the worst suffering of all time in the crucifixion? That is the King we follow, the King who suffered and conquered death and will return someday to conquer all His enemies. This King didn't suffer so that we wouldn't suffer but that we would suffer for the right things. We will not suffer for our own shortcomings but because of the shortcomings of others. We will face suffering so that in some small way we can be heroes to others. We will face suffering so that people will see the hero we follow as He truly is, the King.