When they had come near Jerusalem and had reached Bethphage, at the Mount of Olives, Jesus sent two disciples, saying to them, "Go into the village ahead of you, and immediately you will find a donkey tied, and a colt with her; untie them and bring them to me. If anyone says anything to you, just say this, 'The Lord needs them.' And he will send them immediately. "

This took place to fulfill what had been spoken through the prophet, saying, "Tell the daughter 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 disciples went and did as Jesus had directed them; they brought the donkey and the colt, and put their cloaks on them, and he sat on them.

A very large crowd spread their cloaks on the road, and others cut branches from the trees and spread them on the road.

The crowds that went ahead of him and that followed were shouting, "Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest heaven!"

When he entered Jerusalem, the whole city was in turmoil, asking, "Who is this?"

The crowds were saying, "This is the prophet Jesus from Nazareth in Galilee." – Matthew 21:1-11 (NRSV)

Sometimes we come; sometimes we go.

Advent is about coming, about arrival, about entry.

There are actually several pictures that come to mind. One is of a child coming to earth and being born in a stable as angels sang.

Another is of that child, once crucified, raised from the dead, and ascended into Heaven, coming in the clouds to bring a New Jerusalem of justice and peace.

The other is of the scripture for this second day of Advent in 2019, Year A on the Lectionary calendar. It is of Jesus coming to Jerusalem to review his first coming to earth and preview his second. He is coming to experience his coronation which looks a lot more like a betrayal, trial, and execution.

It is all about coming.

In fact, "advent" is derived from a word that means "coming" in Latin.

As an aside, consider the words that flow from it, like "adventure."

In many ways, we celebrate Advent daily in this great adventure. We are always preparing the way for Jesus' entry into someone's world, into some community, into some function, or into some arena of power.

What of this adventure on the eve of Holy Week that we remember early in Advent?

One thinks of a rather unusual request. Two disciples are sent to a village to steal a colt. Only, they are not stealing and to believe that requires some faith and confidence that Jesus knows what he is talking about.

They have a message to give if they are challenged and hat message is all it will take to be allowed to accomplish their mission.

When we are called upon to do something that stretches our thinking, contradicts our rules for safe living, and challenges our understanding, it takes faith to deliver a message from Jesus. It takes faith to believe that it will be enough.

The Lord, for whatever reason we do not always know, needs that colt.

Most often, it fulfills something that has been written, spoken, or intended.

It is a cog in a grand machine.

The adventure is part of a major venture and sometimes the actors in the drama are playing parts that they do not fully comprehend.

Actually, always.

We do not have the whole script. We have a well formed collection of fragments and the fragments tell us of the advent of a king on a donkey into a city that welcomes him with shouts of "Hosanna" and with gestures of victory and adulation.

And they are a bit mixed up about why, but they know that the one on the donkey is a prophet and they hope he is more.

They sense that he is coming in the name of the LORD and that he is blessed.

They suspect he might be the Messiah, the son of David.

Anticipation.

Exultation.

Celebration.

It sounds like Advent. It feels like Christmas is coming.

The noise and emotion of the crowds create turmoil and those who are less in the know ask, "Who is this?"

Who is this?

Who is this coming and going and coming and going and coming again?

Who is this that is always showing up? Sometimes invited? Sometimes by surprise? Sometimes unwelcome? Always creating questions and often, turmoil?

It is the prophet Jesus. You know, the one from Nazareth up there is Galilee. That one!

Who is this, showing up when you least expect it.

Who is it, crashing your pity party?

Who is it entering into the space of your revelry?

Who is it sitting down beside you on your lonely bench?

Who is it marching into the city council meeting with a disturbing word?

Who is it spoiling our preconceptions about God?

Who is it interrupting the execution of the adulterous woman? Raising the dead? Giving sight to the blind? Touching lepers with a healing hand? Eating with sinners? Calling tax collectors?

Who is it?

That is the question and the message today.

That is the one to turn over in your heart and mind and view as a template agains the backdrop of everey issue that confronts you between now and bedtime.

The humble, righteous King has shown up in your city.

What is next for you?

Picture – Eastern Orthodox fresco in Nativity of the Theotokos Church, Bitola, Republic of North Macedonia

advent (noun) – "important arrival," 1742, an extended sense of Advent "season preceding Christmas" (in reference to the "coming" of Christ), late Old English, from Latin adventus "a coming, approach, arrival," in Church Latin "the coming of the Savior," from past participle stem of advenire "arrive at, come to," from ad "to" (see ad-) + venire "to come," from a suffixed form of PIE root *gwa- "to go, come." Related: Adventual.  – Online Etymology, Cornell University