As Jesus enters the city, the crowd begins to throw their cloaks on the ground to make a carpet as if for a royal procession. They take up the joyful song of the disciples, a version of Psalm 118. The crowd changes “Blessed is the one who comes” to “Blessed is the king who comes.” It is a provocative twist for the people to speak of a new king under the noses of the Romans.

Perhaps that provocative proclamation makes the Pharisees nervously suggest that Jesus should calm the crowd. At other times in his ministry, Jesus tries to keep his messianic identity secret. But on this occasion, he allows the joy of the moment to resound with the singing of the crowd. The singing is unstoppable, he tells the Pharisees. If the people stop, the stones will pick up the tune.

The image of singing stones reminds us of other images of the earth responding joyfully to the presence of God. In Isaiah 55:12 the joy of the returning exiles will cause the trees to clap their hands. In Psalm 65, the meadows and the valleys sing together.

Sometimes the joy of Palm Sunday seems muted or compromised by the knowledge that the crowd who lauds Jesus will turn on him. On the other hand, if we fail to give ourselves over to the joy of praise, we fall into the same fearful posture as Pharisees in this text. If we focus on our fear, how many opportunities for joy might we miss? Responding to God’s presence with gratitude and worship can fill us with the strength to continue walking the gospel way through Holy Week and throughout our lives.