The following essay is by Peter Sawtell, Executive Director of Eco-Justice Ministries. I put it up on the blog last year and decided to repeat it this year. It really is "food for thought"!"Palm Sunday is that occasion in the church year when we try and get ourselves into a really joyous mood, so that we can experience the full roller coaster effect of Holy Week.
"In many churches this weekend, the members of the Sunday School will be drafted to form a palm-waving procession through the sanctuary. Some lucky child may even get to play the part of Jesus, and ride the wooden donkey, the same one used by Mary in the Christmas pageant. Meanwhile, in the pews, well-dressed adults will sing All Glory, Laud and Honor and look very self-conscious about waving their fronds.
"Through it all, we make a noble attempt to capture the genuine spirit of celebration that is part and parcel of Jesus' entry into Jerusalem. We try to claim the hope and excitement of the Messiah's arrival in the capitol city. And we set aside the awareness of what comes later in this Holy Week -- the agonizing times of betrayal and death, and the astounding joy of resurrection.
"The Christian liturgical tradition packs a lot into Holy Week. We observe Palm Sunday, Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, the Easter Vigil, and Easter itself.
"And yet, as I re-read the Palm Sunday account in the gospels, I'm struck by what our liturgies skip over. The tradition of the triumphal entry is truncated. Scene 2 is skipped.
"Picture this in your church's observation of the day: The bathrobe-clad Jesus rides the wheeled donkey down the aisle, while the congregation sings familiar hymns of praise and wave their palm branches. Then, as the music comes to a close, Jesus strides to the chancel, sweeps the silver communionware onto the floor, and shouts, "It is written, 'My house shall be called a house of prayer', but you are making it a den of robbers."
What do you think? Is this true? Read the rest of the article
The sculpture of Christ cleansing the Temple is by Brian Burgess.
