Notes from a Sojourn
April 5, 2020
Jubilation and Grief
Sermon for Palm Sunday, Year A (Matthew 21.1-11)
"The crowds that went ahead of him and that followed were shouting, 'Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest heaven!' "
The picture above shows a view of Jerusalem from the Mount of Olives. It was taken along the traditional route walked by Christians to mark the biblical story of Jesus' entry into Jerusalem. Every year, we do something similar in the congregations of St. Lawrence Parish: we gather together, read the story, and process around the building. We wave palm branches and sing songs of praise. It is this tradition of processing with palms that gives Palm Sunday it's name. I believe the practice of experiencing the story from the inside is important. Enacting the biblical narrative together helps us to become participants, rather than mere observers of the event.
The physical and social restrictions we are currently living with are life-saving measures. They are especially important to the protection of vulnerable people. Most of us understand and respect the requirement to stay home and avoid physical contact with other people. But these same restrictions also prevent us from gathering together to mark the solemn events of Jesus' final week of earthly ministry. This year's Holy Week is certainly marked by our inability to gather and observe the passion narrative together.
One of the practical frustrations of observing Palm Sunday away from the physical gathering of the church community is that we cannot easily bless, distribute, and wave palm branches. This may seem like a trivial loss but it is felt as a very real loss. We experience excitement and have our Christian identity encouraged through the acting out of biblical events as a group. When these opportunities are absent, a very real loss may be felt. We may feel disoriented, and begin to feel spiritually isolated. This is normal, it is an experience of grief.
There are many ways to participate in the biblical narrative from home. Read the story, sing, pray, hang greenery on your front door, create some art... the list is long. If you do feel a conspicuous emptiness or grief, consider this: As we anticipate Christ's glorious resurrection, we will be engaging with the story of Jesus' betrayal, arrest, trial, suffering, death, and burial.
What strikes me most urgently about today's story is how jubilant the shouts of praise are, which the crowds direct at Jesus. It seems the people cannot contain their excitement, as they place their cloaks and tree branches on the road before Jesus. I am also struck with how the crowds' voices would call for violence as Jesus is tried. Eventually, Jesus would die, abandoned by his most notable followers.
As we travel with Jesus through the biblical stories of Holy Week, let us engage with the excitement of Christ's entry into Jerusalem and his Easter resurrection. But perhaps this can also become an occasion for us to enter into the experience of Christ's vulnerability and love through the insights of our own experiences of emptiness and grief.
Patrick+
