Palm / Passion 2021 + (St Mark 11:1–11) + 3.28.21
M Campbell-Langdell
All Santos Oxnard
Ride on King Jesus! In today’s readings we have Jesus riding
into Jerusalem on a colt, with palms strewn on his way and the Hosannas sailing
up to the sky. Praises to our Lord.
The people were desperate. And here came a Savior. Desperate
like some of us after a year of pandemic, even as we look hopefully toward the
end of this moment, we are still hanging on some of us by the skin of our
teeth. And what greets us, but more violence?
And what greeted Jesus, but more violence? The shouts of the crowd turned from
praises and requests for assistance to “Crucify him!”
Because it is important to remember that Hosanna isn’t just a
word of praise, it is also a request for help. As Steve Garnaas-Holmes, a
retired United Methodist Pastor and creation-focused writer, says:
“Hosanna” doesn’t mean “Hooray!”
It means
“Save us!”
It’s not a
cry of triumph,
It’s a plea
of desperation.
Of course, aimed at a leader who can protect us,
It becomes
an affirmation.
Our Hosannas
signify victory
Only because
Jesus has saved us
In our
desperate weakness.
This is no
time to strut
But to
kneel,
To bare our tender
need,
In honest
pleading
That we
still need saving
And in awe
and gratitude
For the
grace we are continually given.
Maybe “Hosanna” is more like
“Wow! Thanks. We needed that.”
on steroids.[1]
These are such true words. The people were reaching out to Jesus in the midst
of their distress; a people over-taxed, without representation in the empire of
another although in their native land. But we know desperation can go both
ways. To gratitude and violence. And in fear we can take the freedoms we have
been given and turn them into instruments of hate. As the people did by turning
Jesus in to be killed. The possibility that he was the Messiah was too scary
and far-fetched. More likely he was a hack of whom they needed to make an
example.
But the amazing part of all of this is that God used all of this to save us
anyway. Even when we did our worst, Jesus was at his best. God was at their
best. He saved us. They saved us. In Jesus’ death but more importantly in how
he brought life to us all, eternal life.
A moment in the gospel of Matthew shows Jesus move from the last
supper to his time in Gethsemane. And there he says those heart-breaking words:
“My Father, if it is possible, let this cup pass from me; yet not what I want
but what you want (Matt 26:39).” And in giving of himself, in pouring out his
life, he filled the cup of our salvation.
How can we thank Jesus? I think we can get on our knees and
ask for help. Help to solve the problem of gun violence – to reach out to the
disaffected to get them help but also to limit who has access to weapons that
can kill innocent people. Even as we work out what gun rights mean in our
country and how to honor that. If we are white, we can reach out to our
siblings of color who feel hated on and let them know we are by their side. If
we are people of color, we can let others know how to support us. We must reach
out to Jesus for wisdom. Because Jesus knows all about unbreachable chasms. He
came from death to life again. For us. He loves us and wants us to live and
flourish. Let us be faithful in asking Jesus for help. And then let us follow
him, even if the terrain is scary or unfamiliar. He is our trusted friend. He has
been through hell and back and will lead us through our vail of sorrows to a
time of abundant life, not just in the next world but in this world too, if we
are willing to follow. Amen.
.jpg)
Comments
Post a Comment