Palm Sunday
Reflection
In the Christian tradition, we explore the gift of Palm Sunday’s subversive hope. On this day, Christians honor the arrival of Jesus in through the gate to Jerusalem (meaning “City of Peace”) and his challenge to the status quo, his challenge to a society which enabled hunger of the body and spirit. For Jesus’ arrival on the donkey spoke to his humbleness, his desire to be with those who live on the margins of society—the sick, the poor, women, children—and arrive through a gate ready to meet a man who arrived on the other side of Jerusalem, through another gate. This man was named Pilate, one who represented the Roman Empire, who wanted to live in the power of society, this man who arrived on a horse. One man arrives humble, speaking to those who desire a just world where they are fed, another man arrives on a horse, speaking to those who want power in a world where they don’t care if others are fed. A world of love where all are equal vs. a world where one group dominates another.
Jesus’ subversive arrival in Jerusalem might seem like it was a hopeless journey that didn’t end well, but up ahead, in a place not yet revealed to those walking with Jesus riding the donkey, was the transformation, a transformation which brought the words from Jesus in his new form: “peace be with you my friends.” A reminder that the empire ultimately did not win. Instead love, peace, grace, and hope always win. Always.
Rev. Sara Bartlett
Prayer
Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.
Action
Read the Palm Sunday narrative in scripture. Do you see any implications for our time?
What is your choice?
Suggested Reading
When the great crowd that had come to the feast heard
that Jesus was coming to Jerusalem,
they took palm branches and went out to meet him, and cried out:
“Hosanna!
“Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord, the king of Israel.”
John 12:12
When Jesus entered Jerusalem, the whole city was disturbed. The people asked, “Who is this man?” And the crowd answered, “This is the Prophet Jesus from Nazareth of Galilee.”
Matthew 21:10-11
The Pharisees then said to one another, ‘You see that you can do nothing; look, the world has gone after him!”
John 12:1
Palm Sunday holds together joy and suffering. We praise Jesus as King, yet we soon hear the story of his Passion… This week, choose to remain with Christ in both joy and trial.
Pope Leo
What is most amazing about the Lord and his Passover? It is the fact that he achieves glory through humiliation. He triumphs by accepting suffering and death, things that we, in our quest for admiration and success, would rather avoid.
Pope Francis
Here in the Passion narrative, we trace the struggle, one scene at a time, between the Word of God and the ways of the world. We see all the forces of evil collude and collide. We watch as Jesus, caught in the grip of religious and political agendas, goes on speaking out, doing good, regardless.
Joan Chittister
The tragedy of this event was the fickleness of the people. At this point they are acclaiming the Lord Jesus as the long-expected Messiah – within a few days they were crying for His death!
Colin Coombs
But everyone who lined the streets had a different reason for waving those palms. Some were political activists; they’d heard Jesus had supernatural power, and they wanted him to use it to free Israel from Roman rule. Others had loved ones who were sick or dying. They waved branches, hoping for physical healing. Some were onlookers merely looking for something to do, while others were genuine followers who wished Jesus would establish himself as an earthly king. Jesus was the only one in the parade who knew why he was going to Jerusalem. He had a mission, while everyone else had an agenda.
Bill Hybels
The world has a history of denouncing and killing messiahs who don’t deliver what it wants. Moreover, the world does not want a God who is God over against the world. Rather, the world wants a lapdog god it can domesticate and control, a sweet god who indulges and blesses the sickness, the selfishness–in other words, the sinfulness of the world. The world does not want a messiah, or for that matter, doctors or lawyers or pastors or parents who give people what they need. The world wants a messiah and doctors and lawyers and pastors and parents who give people what they want.
Edwin Peterman
Two processions entered Jerusalem on Palm Sunday. The same question, the same alternative, faces those who would be faithful to Jesus today. This is the question of Palm Sunday and of the week that is to unfold: Which procession are we in? Which procession do we want to be in?
Marcus Borg