Tuesday, March 19, 2013

3/24/2013 - Palm Sunday - Luke 19:28-40, Luke 22:14 – 23:56


      Even though Jesus entered the city of Jerusalem on a donkey, he was welcomed by the crowd like he was a triumphant conqueror.  The people were astonished at the majesty of his bearing.  He seemed like a king.  Yet, soon afterwards, Jesus enters into his passion and death on a cross.  The crowds saw him in a new light on the cross.  He was no longer mighty, but rather lowly & humble.  He became the object of public derision.  How could things have changed so quickly, from a coronation to chaos, from celebration to despair, from the crowd shouting “Hosanna in the highest” to the cries of “Crucify him”?  We move from the kingship of Jesus to his crucifixion in a short period of time as we commemorate Palm Sunday today. How does this happen?   What does this tell us about God?
      In the events told on Palm Sunday, there was a power struggle that took place. This same struggle takes place today, pitting the forces of power and violence against God’s love and mercy.  The people of Ancient Israel wanted a political and military hero as the Messiah, one who would restore Israel to glory through war and violence.  Barabbas was a freedom fighter, an insurrectionist who tried to free Israel from the Romans, so Barabbas was the one the crowd wanted set free. Barabbas was seen as a military leader similar to the Messiah whom they eagerly awaited.  Jesus isn’t the political leader the crowd anticipated. Instead, he is a suffering servant.  Jesus' entry into Jerusalem is a prelude to his passion.  His riding on a donkey foreshadows the humiliation of his forthcoming crucifixion.  Crucifixion was seen  as such a horrible, humiliating death, that no Roman citizen could be crucified in that society, only non-citizens and outsiders.  Here is the irony: that by becoming the suffering servant, by dying for our sins on the cross, Jesus becomes the king of glory. 
     Jesus doesn’t prevail as the Son of God because of any violence he inflicts.  Instead, he prevails by becoming the victim of violence.  The people cry out, “Crucify him.”  They don’t understand the alternative God has for the violence and darkness present in the world.  God still asks us today to humbly accept the salvation freely offered to us in Christ's redemptive cross.  But, instead of graciously accepting God’s gift, many insist on doing things their own way, adhering to the ways of the world and choosing violence and power over a life of discipleship.                                 
      Today, on Palm Sunday, we participate in what unfolds before us, waving palms as Jesus triumphantly enters Jerusalem. The choice is still before us. We can accept the significance of Jesus' cross, we can welcome Jesus into our hearts, or we can ignore this story. Hopefully we have learned some good lessons on our Lenten journey with Jesus.  It may have been a very edifying Lenten journey for us, or it may have been a journey full of inner strife, struggle, and confusion.  No matter where we have been on our Lenten journey, Christ and his message meets us in our reality.  
     As we reflect on the meaning of Palm Sunday, I am closing my homily today with a prayer written by Blessed Guerric of Igny, a French Cistercisian monk from way back in the 12th century. This prayer captures the spirit of this day: “Lord Jesus, you are the joy and salvation of the whole world; whether we see you seated on a donkey or hanging on the cross, let each one of us bless you and praise you, so that when we see you reigning on high we may praise you forever and ever, for to you belong praise and honor throughout all ages.  In the name of the Father, Son & Holy Spirit. Amen.” 

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