Luke 19:37-40

As he was now approaching the path down from the Mount of Olives, the whole multitude of the disciples began to praise God joyfully with a loud voice for all the deeds of power that they had seen, saying, “Blessed is the king who comes in the name of the Lord! Peace in heaven, and glory in the highest heaven!” Some of the Pharisees in the crowd said to him, “Teacher, order your disciples to stop.” He answered, “I tell you, if these were silent, the stones would shout out.”

Like a landslide which starts with a few dislodged stones, gathering more rubble, and first slowly building up speed and power until it overwhelms all caught in its wake, so the events of this week will be unstoppable until Jesus is crucified. Luke has steadily built his gospel story to this point where those who thought they could have a say in events, the pharisees and other leaders, are now part of the inevitable, unfolding calamity brought on by the multitude’s excitement and investment as they call for change. The cry… “Blessed is the King who comes in the name of the Lord!” is calling for regime change. There is no backing down now. And Jesus embraces this. “Even the stones would shout out!” This is all now in the hands of God. Our Easter week begins.