On that special day (Palm Sunday), Jesus showed the world the alternative way of being political. Roman rulers would enter a city on a war horse to show power and domination. Over 50 vehicle convey accompany our political leaders to state functions and other places with their bodyguards displaying sophisticated weapons to show power and domination. On that great Day, Jesus rode on a donkey and it was to fulfill the ancient prophecy of Zechariah, which Matthew quotes:
“Tell the daughters of Zion, Look, your King is coming to you, humble, and mounted on a donkey and on a colt, the foal of a donkey”
The large crowd spread their cloaks on the ground according to the Bible and waved their palm branches as they shouted “Hossana to the Son of David”. The term Son of David was a messianic reference that hope for a NEW POLITICAL RULER.
The Gospel of Jesus was different from that of the Roman rulers. His Gospel is the politics of humility, service, forgiveness, and nonviolent love that brought all people together, especially those we call our enemies or opponents.
Some of our leaders or political parties tend to live by the politics of Rome, not the politics of Jesus. They are vindictive, deceitful, corrupt, nepotistic always seeking to influence others through coercion, violence and manipulation. They follow the politics of Rome. We see our political leaders and their followers exhibit these Romanic activities in this country. We see their long convoy, their arrogance and their unpreparedness to cooperate with people they call their enemies or political opponents.
Jesus, revealed the alternative. He called it The Political Kingdom. It’s a political way of life based not on triumphant violence, but rather humble service. Some of our leaders exhibited same political leadership and exhibiting same outside office. So, party members of these humble leaders at times attack them for being too humble, accommodating, loving and open. The politics of Jesus makes sure everyone has daily bread, it avoids the temptation to commit evil against our political opponents just because they disagree with our position, and it calls us Into a life of forgiveness.
What do we see today? Leaders appoint family members, in-laws and friends to juicy positions, offer juicy contracts to friends, family members and in-laws, close radio stations they see as threat to their existence, level false allegations against political opponents, too vindictive, .
The politics of Jesus led him to Good Friday, where he suffered and died. And yet he stayed true to the Kingdom of God, speaking words of forgiveness even as he was murdered. “Father forgive them for they know not what they do”
Yea, our leaders who live by the politics of Christ, lost elections because of their honesty and unpreparedness to give rosy picture of the economy when they knew the system was facing challenges. They always placed the welfare of the people above their parochial interest, they never harassed their political opponents even when they told evil lies about them and invested state resources into developmental projects. Like Christ, they were humble, forgiving and embraced all people.
The Gospel of Jesus seeks to influence our personal lives, but it also seeks to influence our political lives. Wherever politicians or political parties use election rigging, violence, manipulation to be triumphant and victorious, Jesus Christ on this Palm Sunday beckons us to follow him into a different kind of politics- into the Kingdom of God that lives and dies by love, service and forgiveness.
Christ died on the cross, resurrected and his death and resurrection saved us from Satan’s control and domination.
The defeat and coming back of John Mahama is going to bring us everlasting peace and relief. His political death and resurrection is going to transform the political landscape of our great land, unite the country, and prepare us for real economic transformation.
Hossana!
Hossana!
Hossana!