Christ's journey to Jerusalem on (what we know as) Palm Sunday was a noisy scene (Matthew 21:1-11). The excited crowds laid their cloaks on the road for His donkey transport to walk on, while they were singing and chanting: "Hosanna to the Son of David"; and, "Blessed is He who comes in the Name of the Lord". But the children were more perceptive than many of the adults; they realised that Jesus was indeed somebody so special that they could not keep quiet about Him.

After overturning the market stalls of rogue traders who were profiting from their religion - especially good business at a festival (Matthew 21:12-13) - blind and lame people came to Him in the temple. They were not allowed to offer sacrifices because their disability ‘proved’ that they were sinful and therefore offensive to God (2 Samuel 5:8). But they pressed through to find Jesus; and He healed them ... and there was more rejoicing. 

The children's excitement continued. They kept on crying out, "Hosanna to the Son of David": but that really irritated the religious leaders. After all, they wanted to put out the Light of Jesus, not have it shine more brightly. They did not conceal their disgust at the presence of Jesus or His young admirers. Jesus responded by quoting from Psalm 8:2, telling them that God deliberately commanded children to praise Him. The little ones had no political agenda but simply expressed the truth and told God how glad they were to know Jesus. They received the Light and shone brightly themselves. Meanwhile the religious leaders were plotting to extinguish the Light. 

Some people prefer to live in the darkness because they are afraid that the light will reveal what they are like (John 3:19-21). Indeed, all of humanity is essentially guilty before God and tries to hide away from Him, as Adam and Eve did (Genesis 3:8-13). All over the world, people who are hiding from God, resent the Light of Christ and try to extinguish it. That is why they persecute His followers in every continent. They believe that if they can get rid of the 'Light-bearers', they can do whatever they like to gain power and wealth. But the Light cannot be extinguished. The cross was followed by the resurrection; and the blood of the martyrs is the seed of the church (as the 2nd Century church father, Tertullian, wrote). Even today, faithful suffering believers bring Christ's Light to people who are willing to deny their prejudices and receive His love.