PALM SUNDAY

TODAY IS THE DAY we celebrate the triumph of the entrance of our Saviour into the land of both his promise and in which he was the promise to its inhabitants, in a curious palindrome of hope and need that should be seen as some form of reflection on our daily lives; as indeed should be the case – at least – with the stories that come out of what we call the “Bible”.

THE MESSAGE OF PALM SUNDAY is perhaps uncomfortably clear: Christ comes into Jerusalem on Sunday, and “everyone” is lining the way, and “everyone” throws down palm leaves, bibs and bobs of this and that, and even their own clothes – anything that Jesus might touch with his feet as he passed by would become hallowed. This was the coming of the Lord for the Jews.

FOUR DAYS LATER and the leaders of the Jews were getting a little pissed off, as Jesus had not come to them to make a deal that would “cut them in on” whatever future this young whippersnapper was flogging. And so were the people of Jerusalem, who expected great things, more than great things, from Jesus, such as publicly stiffing up the leaders of the Jews and perhaps, to use the language of the time, “casting them out into barren parts.”

YET JESUS DID NONE OF THESE THINGS. The few days leading to Jesus becoming a figure of hatred after having been acclaimed as the cat’s pyjamas are there to remind us that people are fickle and that if one does not serve those above and below then our days are numbered.

I MENTION THIS AFTER A DIFFICULT week for David Cameron. It was not so long ago that Cameron was brought in triumph to lead the Conservative Party on its journey to glory, perhaps not on a donkey, but to some extent in a falsely humble manner. The events of the last week, much like those of Holy Week for Jesus, have shown that Cameron is not the saviour of the meek at heart; not the saviour of the mild (Dinnergate); not the saviour of the poor (Pastiegate); and not the saviour of those who cry out for want of aid (Petrolgate); more dammingly for Cameron – and this is what in the end led to Jesus being stymied this Holy Week – he is not doing enough to snuggle his Hapsburg chin into the lap of those who dish out power and influence, and who are not happy with the haphazard way in which the Tory party is being led, particularly about the issue of homosexual marriage and, more importantly, about the fact that the press knows more about Conservative Party policy than the party itself does before it is announced.

THE CONSERVATIVE PARTY is the only party which can actually “crucify” its leaders without, as our American friends term it “due process”. One only needs two serving Conservative MPs to suggest a leadership election for one to go ahead. My view is that we have never been closer to this since Cameron took over, and that senior Conservatives are reminding “Dave” of this situation at the moment. Next week is Easter Sunday. And both Dave and his “Rock” are looking a little worried.