We are fickle. Our tastes and appetites change frequently--spurred by marketing that plays on our fears and egos. We cancel plans with friends at the last minute when something or someone more interesting makes us a better offer. We trade in cars that are in perfect working condition. We neglect or abandon relationships rather than do the hard work needed to keep them healthy. We pray and worship sporadically. Maybe we do not do all--or even any--of these things, but we are people who know how quickly affection can turn sour.
     Palm/Passion begins with a noisy, joyful parade and ends with a bleak and cheerless execution. The hosannas of the adoring spectators in Jerusalem turn all too soon to ugly shouts of "Crucify!" as Jesus moves from a wonder-working teacher to a subversive criminal in the crowd's estimation. How do blessings turn so quickly to curses? How is it possible that people who were held spellbound by Jesus' teaching, who brought their sick and demon-possessed to him for healing, who welcomed him into Jerusalem with gracious words and loving actions--how is it possible that people touched so profoundly by Jesus' presence with them could so quickly turn around and put him to death?
     To what extent are our own loyalties up for grabs? Perhaps it is simply the nature of human love to be inconstant, temperamental. Fortunately, God's love for us does not depend on whims. It cannot be swayed by things that we do or things that we fail to do. God does not bless us in one breath and punish us in the next. God's love for us does not change, no matter how capricious our affection for God tends to be. Thanks be to God for this grace.

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