Palm Sunday
Sunday, April 5th, 2020click here for past entries
Loving God, you call us this day to join the procession, using whatever we have in order to honour Jesus. Teach us also to walk with him throughout the coming week as we remember his love for us and for all people; through the same Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
The whole Palm Sunday procession down the Mount of Olives so many years ago was very much an improvised event. No parade permit had been issued. None of the streets had been blocked off. Even the donkey that Jesus rode was borrowed. Nobody had ordered their palms ahead of time or even saved the date on their calendar. People just used whatever they had, whether that meant cutting some branches in the fields or taking off their cloaks and laying them on the road. They used whatever they had because they wanted to honour Jesus and welcome him as the Messiah. They believed that he could save them and that he had, indeed, been sent by God.
Mind you, there were others along the route who weren’t quite as committed. Some probably didn’t know what to think and were pretty much indifferent to the whole event. Others (like the religious leaders) were probably watching with their arms crossed, fuming underneath, just waiting for their opportunity to put an end to all of this nonsense. And who knows what the Roman soldiers were thinking as they saw all of this unfold. Those who wanted to honour Jesus used what they had. Those who didn’t just stood there and watched.
Later, in Bethany, we hear about one particular woman who also wanted to honour Jesus. She, too, used whatever she had – which was quite a bit, it seems! We learn in today’s gospel that the jar of ointment that she used to anoint Jesus could have been sold for 300 denarii. Just to give that a little context, that is pretty close to an entire year’s worth of wages for the average person. And so, think for a moment about how much income you receive in a year. And now think about what you could buy with that much money. That’s how much this woman spent in order to anoint Jesus.
The gospel of Mark doesn’t tell us anything else about this woman. We do learn, however, that some of the other dinner guests were angry over what this woman had done. “What a waste of resources,” they said. “She could have done so much good for the poor with that much money!” Jesus, however, disagrees.
He knows what is coming, and he knows who he is, and he knows that all those who love him will also show love for the poor. He also suspects that those who are standing there criticizing how this woman has used her resources could probably do a lot more for the poor than they have been. This woman has anointed Jesus in an extraordinary act of love. She has prepared his body ahead of time for burial. She has identified him as Messiah and King by the way in which she anointed him.
We are invited by today’s gospel to think about ways in which we can use whatever we have in order to honour and love Jesus. However, even before we can ask this question, there is another one lurking in the background. First, we need to ask if we believe that Jesus is worth serving and following.
Do we believe that Jesus can and does save us? Do we believe that we stand in need of God’s love and forgiveness through Christ? Do we believe that Jesus is the fullest expression of God’s love, come to show us what God is like and to free us from the power of sin and death? Do we believe that all of what Jesus endured was for our sake, and for the sake of all people? Do we believe that through Jesus we have forgiveness, salvation, and eternal life? And then, if we do indeed believe these things, what is an appropriate response?
There are several responses suggested by today’s gospel. The donkey’s colt that Jesus rode belonged to someone – and was given to the disciples simply because the Lord needed it. Are there things that belong to us that the Lord needs?... Today’s gospel also suggests worship and praise and prayer. While hosanna can be used as a shout of praise, it is also a prayer. It means “save, Lord” or “save now.” Worship and prayer are needed now more than ever, and are the things that strengthen us in our faith and renew us in the midst of trying times.
Of course, there is also the woman in Bethany who gives extravagantly in order to show her love and devotion to Jesus. Would any of us even dare such extravagance?... Now, admittedly, there are very few people who could afford to part with an entire year’s worth of wages. However, there are so many ways to share the love of God with others, for by showing love to others, we are also showing love for Jesus.
While there are plenty of examples these days of both the best and the worst of human behavior, the love of Jesus goes deeper than that. The violent and fearful behavior that we have seen from some people points to how much humanity actually needs redemption. The acts of hope and encouragement that we hear about also show that at least some human beings can do good things. However, Jesus is about so much more than simply doing good things.
The reason that Jesus is worth following and serving is not that he teaches us how to be good people, but that he opens the way for us to have a life-giving relationship with God. Through faith in Jesus, we know that we are loved and saved and forgiven. We also know that we are never alone, for the Spirit of God dwells in us and among us, and Jesus continues to walk with us.
Let us then use whatever we have in order to honour and serve Jesus as we share the love of God with all people. For the Holy Spirit continues to equip us for ministry, strengthening us in love and in faith through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.
Palm Sunday (NL 2) Mark 11:1-11; 14:3-9
April 5, 2020
St. Luke’s Zion Lutheran Church
Pastor Lynne Hutchison
© 2020 Lynne Hutchison All Rights Reserved
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