The April Fool

I haven't thought much of April Fools in recent years, but when I was young, my friends and I always tried to come up with different pranks. Back then, we didn't have caller ID, so we could call a friend or a friend's parent and pretend to have bad or silly news. And in the few cases where people didn't know we were joking, it was such fun to yell out, "April Fools!"

When a friend's daughter was 4, she had just discovered the concept of April Fools. She would point to my head and say, "Manda, there's a monster on your head!" And I would play along, "Aaaaaah! Get it off!" It was such a delight to hear her squeal "April Fools!" and dissolve into giggles.

Given the beginning of our Gospel reading for this Sunday, it seems rather appropriate for April Fools Day: When they were approaching Jerusalem, at Bethphage and Bethany, near the Mount of Olives, he sent two of his disciples and said to them, “Go into the village ahead of you, and immediately as you enter it, you will find tied there a colt that has never been ridden; untie it and bring it. If anyone says to you, ‘Why are you doing this?’ just say this, ‘The Lord needs it and will send it back here immediately'" (Mark 11:1-3).

Can you imagine? You walk out to your car and see that there's someone trying to break in. "What are you doing?" you ask. And the reply: "Oh, the Lord just needs to borrow it for a while." Would you let them go? Would you think maybe it was an elaborate joke? Or something more serious?

On Palm Sunday, the story of Jesus' entry into Jerusalem plays out like an elaborate April Fools joke - but who is the butt of the joke? It might appear to be Jesus, who is praised by the crowds in this moment but will be mocked and crucified the next. But the real joke is on the powers that be - on the Roman leaders who believe they are gods, on the religious leaders who think they have a monopoly on the truth, on Jesus's followers who believe that the Messiah will lead a military coup.

April Fools! The tables are about to be turned. The Anointed One will win by losing. The powers that be will lose by winning. This Sunday, join us as we seek to follow the one who became the April Fool in order to reveal a greater truth.

And a special invitation to young adults - join us tonight at my home (106 Northview Rd.) for dinner and conversation about the nature of Jesus and what it means to follow him.

Blessings,
Manda