This Sunday is Palm Sunday, the day the Church celebrates Jesus’ triumphant entry into Jerusalem.  The city is getting ready for the Passover holiday. There were a lot of people coming to celebrate Passover. Jesus comes in humbly riding on a donkey and many of His followers put palm branches on the road and shouted “Hosanna]”; “Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!”; “Blessed is the coming kingdom of our father David!”; “Hosanna in the highest heaven!”  It was beautiful!

Several years ago the Bible story of John sending his disciples to ask if Jesus was the one…. caught my eye in a new way.  In Luke 7:22b, 

But what does it mean to be great?

I have been a pacifist for many years.  I define a pacifist as someone that rejects the use of violence. I have been challenged internally with the USA's current action with Ukraine and Russia. The USA is the most powerful country in the world, we were the leading country defending democracy against authoritarianism, we were a leading country fighting for  human rights.  We made many mistakes and we have acted in our own self interest but it is hard for me to imagine another country acting more benevolent. (more on that)

I had a dream of America