Biblical scholars spend a lot of time looking at what is repeated in each Gospel, what is different, what is emphasized, to whom each book was originally written, and so on. In our reading from Luke one of the things that these folk tend to point out is the almost "in- your-face" aspect of the writing in this Gospel account that keeps using the little word "but" to introduce a new sentence or action. It sort of feels like the tedious television advertising commercial that when you think it is finally over the announcer says, "but wait, there’s more..."
This year we hear the story from the Gospel of Luke and with a careful reading it is a little baffling. Jesus is there. The disciples and the Pharisees are there – clueless as ever. The donkey (called a colt – a young unridden donkey) is there. And people lay down their cloaks along the roadway for the procession.