Alka's Angle March 27, 2026

Dear Broadway Community,

All around the world this Sunday will be observed as Palm Sunday- the day Jesus entered Jerusalem and the people welcomed him with celebrations, hoping Jesus was the “King” they had been waiting for. Jesus quickly made it clear that he was NO KING with THRONES or CROWNS, but someone who stands with the least, the last, the lost and the forgotten.

In addition, the late New Testament scholar Marcus Borg reminds us, that just as Jesus was making his entry into Jerusalem, the Roman governor Pontius Pilate was leading an imperial procession on the other side of the city- with all pomp and show of force, intended to intimidate the Jewish pilgrims who had come to the city to observe Passover. The crowd’s cry of “Hosanna” also was not a simple declaration of praise but a political statement. After all, the word Hosanna means “Save us.”

Beloveds, the world did not need a KING then, it does not need one now! United Methodists all around the country are joining other Christians in a political declaration of Palm Sunday once again and proclaiming to the world that our world does not need KINGS but LOVE that Jesus came to demonstrate, to teach and to share.

I invite us to join in a ‘non-violent action’ this Saturday to proclaim LOVE and deny any KINGS for our country or the world. I know almost every neighborhood is organizing their own action to oppose the illegal, cruel, and destructive attacks against our neighbors, our communities and our democracy. You can choose to go to Grant Park or you can join the one in our neighborhood at Broadway and Melrose. Both start at 1:30pm. The organizers call all participants to avoid any potential confrontation and to act lawfully.