On April 9, 1959 NASA announced the selection of America’s first seven astronauts. Among those seven were two who became most famous Alan Shepherd and John Glenn. And the others most of us over 60 surely recognize. They were incredibly The Right Stuff indeed! On April 9, 2017 we again will celebrate Palm Sunday the day that Jesus entered Jerusalem on His way to celebrate Passover and on His way to Crucifixion.

As the astronauts of the USA sought to enter the space of the “heavens”, Jesus, Son of God, came from God but was one of us, walked among us, died to conquer Sin and Death. As the astronauts entered into the unknown of human space travel, God in an inexplicable demonstration of love entered into the form of the human condition.

As the astronauts rode fiery rockets into space, Jesus of Nazareth simply rode a humble donkey not a conqueror’s warhorse. As the initial seven men put on spacesuits to enter into airless space, God “put on the form of a servant” to enter into a Fallen sin filled world.

Both are adventures to “draw us in” and to celebrate the human and the Divine at work in Creation and the call to us to be drawn to a fulfilled life of love here and Forever!

This Sunday we have good reason to wave palm branches and shout out Hosanna! Yes indeed, “Save us!” Hosanna! God is at work in human kind and then beyond human limitations and on toward Eternity!

Blessings on your Lenten walk. †

Pastor Barry