Sermons: Palm Sunday

March 16, 2008

Last Sunday we reflected upon the Passion of Jesus Christ. His passion is an humble and obedient immersion in what overwhelms, surround and envelops him. What confronts him is immensely present to Him; he must do the will of his Father that has sent Him. And this will mean something that is greater than even he thinks that he can bear. The feeling will be expressed in the agony of the garden. “Father let this cup pass from me.” What is outstretched before Him seems to be unbearable. He will bear not only personal and human hurt but in some mysterious way the burden of the sins of the whole world. Yet he remains obedient to God and says, “nevertheless not my will but thine be done.” He will fulfill his purpose and mission to work the work of God. In humility and with patience he will endure his Father’s will, in order to express the eternal desire of God for man and of the Eternal Father for reconciliation with his children.

And yet today, on this Palm Sunday, our Gospel seems to suggest a different aspect of Christ’s service of obedience to his Father. On Palm Sunday, we celebrate the kingship of our Lord and Saviour, Jesus Christ. We celebrate the dramatic moment of his triumph, as he enters Jerusalem, the Holy City, and all the children cry, Hosanna! Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessed is he that cometh, in the Name of the Lord! He comes as the promised son and heir of David, the messianic king, "meek, and riding upon an ass." There is no mistaking the powerful imagery of this day: the ecstatic multitudes acclaim their king, and cast garments and branches in the way, to make a royal path for him. The Pharisees demand that he dismiss this noisy crowd, but Jesus simply answers them, "I tell you, if these should hold their peace, the very stones would cry out."

Today seems to be a day not of rejection and hatred but one which celebrates the coming of the King into the city of Jerusalem. Here Christ’s Passion for his Father’s will remains constant and true. He is fulfilling his mission. He cleaves to his Father. He is silent and quiet. He is a man of few words. He is humble and of no reputation. He rides into Jerusalem on an ass. He comes to make his entry into the city of the kings. He rides on to his destiny. He is celebrated and hailed. Hosanna to the Son of David. Blessed is he that comes in the name of the Lord. Hosanna in the highest. The King comes. But he comes to serve. Jesus the Son of the most high God has stooped down from heaven to serve us, wait upon us, to wash, to bathe and to heal us. Jesus is God’s love in action, incarnated or made flesh. He rides on to his destiny, to the throne which will reveal and manifest the love of God for man. He rides on to his throne, which is a cross.

There is one response to Jesus today. It is one of welcome and joy. It is one of thanksgiving and praise. But soon it will change.

Sometimes they strew his way, And his sweet praises sing,
Resounding all the day Hosannas to their king;
Then "Crucify" is all their breath
And for his death the thirst and cry.

The response of the world- the world of the Jews and their high priests, the world of the Romans and their noble governors, the world of everyman who cannot bear the presence of God in the world will soon replace the acclamations of joy. The new cry will become one of rejection, resentment and violence. This world, our world, must put down, destroy and silence any power that is not our own. We, with the Jews and Romans, must insist upon our preeminence, importance and significance. Whether it be through politics, social action causes, individual rights, the pursuit of money and mammon, the quest after fame and notoriety, it is clear that the higher way, the claims of God with us, must be put down. God in our midst means trouble, disturbance and challenge. God near us is too much for us to bear. And so it seems that the world, our world, will have its way this week. Christ who claims to bring God to us in his life, his actions, his thoughts and his words, will be whipped and stripped, mocked and derided, hanged upon a tree and killed. “He was once here, so they say. Now he is gone. He is dead, so many say.” Claudel

The lust of the flesh, the desire of the eyes, and the pride of life seem to be the victors this week. It would appear that the powers of our world- the love of the self and the manipulation of others, will win this week. The self which cannot rest until he or she has destroyed another person, divided brethren, hurt others through lies and fabrications, seem to win this week. “Crucify him.” He has insulted me. He has challenged me. He knows me and has seen into my true self. He has offended me. “Crucify him.” He has shaken my world, and he threatens my way of life. He knows my inner self, he sees into me, and I cannot bear it. He must go. “Crucify him.”

“Our power over ourselves and our control over others is threatened this week. Our powers are revealed sometimes in shows of strength through our wallets. At other times they are asserted through our positions, ranks and roles in the world. Sometimes they are revealed through our efforts to have others pity us, feel our pains, and enter into our sufferings. The sick use their power over others. Feeble old folks and weak youngsters do the same. The stingy, mean and miserly use their powers over others. Tyranny abounds. It is all about the self. Its end is death and destruction. Unless it dies the first death.” WJH

But this week we are called to die the first death. We ride on with Jesus up to the altar of his Cross. There the Book of life will be opened before us. From the dying Christ will emerge the truth that is written on the heart of God. As we go up to that school room, and as we follow the Master to learn about love in action, we too shall die. We shall die to ourselves and come alive to God’s way for us. Jesus will be spared no suffering. Neither will we. It may seem foolish, illogical and unnecessary. But it is the truth that we shall experience. This week we are called to become fools for God. We will become weak, weak enough to die, in order that our strength made emerge through Christ’s death to new life and profound hope. Amen.