St. James Episcopal Church
Greeneville, Tennessee
Year A - Palm Sunday - April 5, 2020
Have you ever had one of those moments where things just don’t feel right… Where things are so far from the norm, that it’s surreal… Well, today is one of those days…
Today is Palm Sunday (also known as Passion Sunday). Normally, in our tradition, today would be what I like to call liturgical whiplash – beginning with the liturgy of the palms and a procession in with greens and palm branches as we reenact Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem…
We would continue on in the liturgy and in the center act out the passion narrative, with folks reading different parts… But today is different, so different that I decided to focus this morning on Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem… I’ve decided to focus on that because the liturgy rarely ever focuses on the entry reading, and we will hear the passion narrative on Good Friday.
So today lets examine the scene and the situation surrounding Jesus and his (what we call) “triumphant entry” into Jerusalem. If we remember last week, during the healing of Lazarus, we learned that it was dangerous for Jesus to go back to Judea… The religious leaders and people in power were angry and looking for a way to kill Jesus… Yet, Jesus returns to Judea… but not just Judea… but to the Capitol – Jerusalem
What’s interesting is when Jesus gets there, he doesn’t go right into the city. He stops on the eastern slope of the Mount of Olives near a small town on the outskirts of Jerusalem called Bethphage; about 900 meters from the city. It was there that the actions we just heard about took place… There, Jesus asked two of his followers to go into Bethphage and procure a donkey and a colt… They do this, and the prophecy from Zachariah is fulfilled... "Tell the daughter of Zion, Look, your king is coming to you, humble, and mounted on a donkey, and on a colt, the foal of a donkey."
The layout of the walled city of Jerusalem is also interesting… Jerusalem was under Roman occupation. Everything that happened there, in Jerusalem took place under the control of the Emperor, Tiberius Caesar and the Emperor’s Governor of Judea, Pontus Pilate. Several gates enter the walled city of Jerusalem…
Most notably was the Damascus Gate on the Northern Wall this was a grand gate intended for nobility like the Emperor or the Governor. There was another Gate, one on the Eastern Wall, at the base of the Mount of Olives called the Mercy Gate. According to Jewish tradition, this was the gate that the Messiah was to enter... Through the Damascus Gate, the Roman nobility comes riding in on strong stallions... Ready and able war horses… But, through the Mercy Gate, a humble itinerate preacher, rode in on a donkey... A working animal, meant to bear and move loads…
The direct opposition between the two gates is so visible. Yet, the people are still celebrating Jesus' arrival, spreading their cloaks and branches from the nearby trees along the road that Jesus traveled into the City… The people were so happy and thankful to see this... And they were crying out… "Hosanna, Son of David!!" Hosanna – which means Save Us! Deliver Us!! Hosanna - which had become an expression of joy and the highest praise!
"Hosanna, to the Son of David! Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest heaven!!"
The people were hopeful that this Jesus would help deliver them from the tyranny of Rome. Rome was nervous about a possible rebellion but didn’t consider Jesus a threat. After all, what damage could a man do who rides into town on a work animal?
Things were beginning to change… The scripture tells us that when Jesus entered the City of Jerusalem was in turmoil. People who saw others making such a fuss about Jesus were asking who he was… And they were told, This is the prophet Jesus from Nazareth in Galilee.
Many during that time were on their pilgrimage journey to Jerusalem to celebrate the Passover Festival. These were considered the High Holy Days, and you can bet that Rome was on alert. Yet they didn’t think twice as they stood watch and saw Jesus riding into town…
I want to focus on two aspects of the story this morning in our context…
The first is the two disciples who were sent to retrieve the donkey and the colt retrieve them because Jesus needed them… We are in a situation as we enter this holiest of weeks where some of our folks need help… they need help retrieving the things that they need to live… Folks need food and supplies because they are not able to go out so like Jesus, they depend on others to go and get what they need... Therefore, this community has come together with folks who are “healthy runners” able to retrieve basic items for the members of our community who are vulnerable and are in need.
The second thing is that when Jesus entered the City of Jerusalem, the City was in turmoil… Our lives have been crazy and chaotic ever since we started living differently to prevent the spread of this virus… We are in turmoil, disorder, confusion, and chaos… We hope that it will end soon, but we don’t know when…
We do know this, every time things are in disorder every time that the world is in turmoil God breaks forth… God broke forth into the world in the person of Jesus at the onset of political upheaval and chaos in the middle east and through us, God is continually breaking forth.
Breaking forth to hold one another up when we are hurting and scared… Helping us stay connected and in relationship… Assuring us that regardless of alone and apart we may feel, we are together. We are together in faith and love… we are together in relationship as we pray for and call on one another.
Our cry today is the same as it was back then. "Hosanna, Son of David, Save us!" Enable us to help bring forth your Kingdom in the work that we do. Help us be Christ to one another in this time of chaos.
Brothers and sisters, this is a Holy Week like none we have ever experienced. However, we will continue on, connecting with God and one another, offering opportunities to retell and reflect on the story... The important story of Jesus that brings hope and meaning to our lives.
Today Jesus entered Jerusalem and was greeted by a large crowd that laid cloaks and branches of palm on the road. In just a few short days we will more of the story that took place within that week…
As an Episcopalian, as an Episcopal Priest, my main struggle is that we are prevented from engaging the rites and rituals and the pageantry that we are accustomed to… Things that help us engage in and connect to the living God through our gathering together in corporate worship…
However, using the technology we have, we are trying… trying to stay engaged and connected trying to be with each other the best way we know. It is my hope that you will continue to say your prayers… It is my hope that you will continue to know you are loved… You are a beloved part of this wonderful community of faith…
God loves you so much... Continue to show that love to each other by paying it forward… Reaching out and connecting to others. A quick phone call, a short text message. A handwritten note or email. A grocery or food run... It’s so important at this time of confusion that we be there for one another – helping each other praying for each other…
It’s so important that we be Christ to one another…
Maybe, just maybe, God will break forth into this world through us.
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