Palm Sunday

Today is Palm Sunday, the day in which we commemorate the triumphant entry of our Lord Jesus Christ into Jerusalem. Our Lord enters into the city amid cries of praise and adoration and tremendous anticipation that the worldly kingdom of oppression will be transformed by the kingdom of God. All of Jerusalem turns out to greet their Messiah, crying out ‘Hosanna! Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord!’

Our Lord had been ministering to the people: teaching, healing, and performing miracles of compassionate love for three years. His fame and the news of His miracles had spread far and wide, and now, with His entry into Jerusalem, the people of Israel were taken up with enthusiasm that their King had arrived and that the time of their triumph would soon be inaugurated.

But, as we know, and as we will relive in the coming week, in just a few short days these cries of praise and adoration will take an ugly turn into scoffing and derision and shouts for crucifixion.

How can this be so?

The people of Israel were expecting Christ to reign as their earthly king… they were expecting Him to overthrow the oppression of the Roman lords. They wanted earthly satisfaction of their pride, their appetites, and their comfort. Christ came to give them more, but they didn’t want it.

This is an age-old problem… and it is not just a historic event, it is something that we struggle with in our own lives and in our relation to God.

Isn’t it true that many of us experience the joy and triumph of the Entry of Christ on Sunday? We may be inspired by the beauty of the Church and of her wonderful services and prayers. Perhaps we may even have the joy and privilege of welcoming the Lord Jesus Christ through the gates of our mouth as he enters into the Jerusalem of our soul and body in Holy Communion. On such a Sunday, we spiritually wave our palm branches in joy and gratitude to our Lord and King.

But how long does it take before we find ourselves taking an ugly turn? Perhaps we find ourselves crucifying our Lord through our impatience and irritation with others around us even while we’re still in church? Maybe it’s later as we drive home and we’re cut off by aggressive drivers?  And as the week progresses, are we careful to preserve that Grace given to us in Holy Communion? Do we guard it like a precious pearl and live carefully, fearing to let the petty and selfish worries of the world chase away the life-giving and eternal Grace of God?

We should not look upon the Gospel narrative of the triumphant entry of Christ and the subsequent betrayals as just an historical account from the life of our Lord. For this sequence of joyful and hopeful encounter with Christ, followed by disappointment, forgetfulness, neglect, and hypocrisy, these are our sins as well.

How can we better retain that awareness of Grace, of God’s presence in our lives? How do we maintain a sense of peace when the demands and worries of the world press so heavily upon us – even moments after we leave the sanctuary of the Church?

The holy Apostle Paul tells us in today’s Epistle that we are to rejoice. That we are to ‘be anxious for nothing, but in everything by prayer and supplication, with thanksgiving, let our requests be made known to God; and the peace of God, which surpasses all understanding, will guard our hearts and minds through Christ Jesus.’

This not idealism, brothers and sisters in Christ… this is direct and effective medicine for our soul. If we are overcome with worry, we are denying the sovereignty of God. We are to be anxious for nothing, but instead we are to pray. And having prayed, we must have enough trust and love for God that we are willing to surrender things into His care and accept His holy will in our lives. As someone said, ‘If you pray, why worry? And if you worry, why pray?’ We’re basically making a choice as to who will be in charge… will it be God or will it be you?

Let us meditate upon the words of our Holy Apostle Paul from today’s Epistle. They are words of life and of great healing and consolation…‘Finally, brethren, whatever things are true, whatever things are noble, whatever things are just, whatever things are pure, whatever things are lovely, whatever things are of good report, if there is any virtue and if there is anything praiseworthy—meditate on these things. …and the God of peace will be with you.’

We are now moving into Holy Week and the events of the final days of Christ’s earthly ministry. Let us raise up our minds from the distractions of the world and turn our attention to what is true, what is noble, what is just and pure and lovely. Let each and every one of us take up our Gospel books this week and read through those chapters detailing the events which took place during the final days of our Lord’s earthly life. Let us read our Lord’s words and sympathize with Him in our spirit as He states, ‘Now My heart is troubled…’, as he looks upon His sleeping disciples and asks, ‘Could you not stay awake to keep watch and pray with Me?’. 

Let us watch and pray this week. Let us transport ourselves to be there in spirit with our Lord as He endures the arrest, the trial, the mockings, and His ultimate sacrifice. If we immerse ourselves in these events of Holy Week, our joy in greeting the news of Christ’s glorious resurrection will be all the more bright and radiant.

May God give us the strength and attention to watch and pray, that we may be with Him this week in His sorrows as we await the joyful news of our Lord’s resurrection in just one week’s time.