Year A 6th Sunday in Lent Palm/Passion Sunday 17 April 2011
Isaiah 50: 4-9a Psalm 31: 9-16 Philippians 2: 5-11 Matthew 21: 1-11
This week we celebrate Palm Sunday, commemorating that occasion when Jesus rode through the city gates on a donkey while the people shouted, “Hosanna!”
There are two parallel messages that go with the cry, “Hosanna”. Hosanna means “Save, I pray”, which is a plea for God’s help, but it had become, by this time, a phrase of praise to God. We associate the triumphant entry of God as king with this phrase, but it is also a plea for God’s help.
It interests me to note the different world religions and different people’s philosophy on suffering. Suffering is something we all understand and experience, though in different ways. I get frustrated with people who, I perceive, have no reason to be experiencing any hardship, yet they struggle and complain. Joe was a lot more patient and used to say that everyone’s suffering is valid and felt as genuine. It reminds me of the saying, “I grumbled because I had no shoes and then I met a man with no feet”. In our society I witness so many people (especially rather privileged teenagers), who think that life has been cruel to them, yet they have no physical lack at all – I have to admit that I tend to be rather without mercy and compassion for these.
It seems that God’s word is constantly dealing with the issue of suffering. While there are some religions and philosophies that give simple answers such as the lack of attachment as the way to contentment, and yet others blame suffering on Karma, the Judean Christian philosophy gives no such simple answer. We do admit that suffering is a reality due to the fallen nature of our world, but we don’t blame Karma or think that God is punishing us, or at least we shouldn’t. We pray, “give us this day our daily bread and are exhorted to be content in all situations, but attachment to people and things are simply a reality of the way we are as humans and suffering and grief are a reality of life. God does however, show us a way through suffering – not saying that we won’t grieve and feel pain, but God encourages us to trust in His love and gives us hope that all will work for good in the long run.
After having a really bad day, I found it so comforting to know that someone else has felt low also. The book of Psalms is full of many heartfelt songs that express the depths of the human heart:
Psalm 31:9-15 “Be merciful to me, O LORD, for I am in distress; my eyes grow weak with sorrow, my soul and my body with grief. My life is consumed by anguish and my years by groaning; my strength fails because of my affliction, and my bones grow weak.”
This flies in the face of those who constantly say, “Cheer up, God loves you, what else do you need”. It is true He does, but our suffering is to be acknowledged.
I’m sure we can relate to the psalmist and I know so many people who are struggling lately because they are feeling worn out with distress. On my trip to Hughenden on the weekend I listened to a Bible commentary about Jesus going away to a quiet place after he heard about the death of John the Baptist. The commentary explained that Jesus was dealing with his own personal grief and went to have some time out, but instead the crowds followed and he ended up feeding them the loaves and fishes. Instead of telling the crowds to go away, Jesus has compassion and gets fully involved in ministering to them. Many of us think we have to wait until we feel strong to be in ministry – wait until we feel we have something to give... but if we do this we will never minister at all.
We are shown by Jesus how to cope with suffering and we are encouraged to follow his example. When we feel we are running on empty, continue to reach out. Not to say that we neglect our own need to be comforted by God... but how does this comfort happen? Quite often it comes when we are reaching out to others. Where two or more are gathered in His name, he is there. Sometimes you will notice how strengthened you feel just from being in someone’s company. God’s spirit ministers through us and through others. In the meeting we are blessed – which is yet another reason why it is so important to be regularly at church – it isn’t simply for the teaching and preaching, but for the way that God’s Holy Spirit ministers through us and through others to us.
We also know from the example of the Psalm, that we can express the depths of our hearts honestly to God.... pour out our hearts. In this too, when we lay our cares before God, we are comforted.
A couple of weeks ago we read that our suffering produces character. It dawned on me a couple of weeks ago that suffering is both an opportunity and a test. It is an opportunity to exercise compassion and love and it stands as a witness against us if we do not respond in this way.
We are encouraged by St. Paul’s letter to the Philippians to have the attitude of Christ.
Philippians 2:5- 8“Your attitude should be the same as that of Christ Jesus: Who, being in very nature God, did not consider equality with God something to be grasped, but made himself nothing, taking the very nature of a servant, being made in human likeness. And being found in appearance as a man, he humbled himself and became obedient to death— even death on a cross!”
It amused me at the beginning of this year, to have a conversation with one of my singing student’s who was a senior at her school. She was most put out to find that instead of being treated with respect and given privileges, she was made to do many extra jobs around the school. Leadership is all about serving.
There are many movies about hero’s, power and virtues of courage and selfless giving for the good of another. I’m amazed that we can admire these traits and yet fail to aspire to them ourselves. The world’s most selfless, courageous and powerful super hero also happens to be way more than a fictitious fable. I won’t go into the apologetics, but there is overwhelming evidence to support the very real life of Jesus.
Jesus had access to all the power of God, but for our sake he gave up those powers and allowed himself to be crucified. This was no spur of the moment courageous act that sometimes happens when the adrenalin has kicked in at an emergency site. Jesus knew exactly what was to happen and it frightened him just as it would any of us.
What was unique about Jesus was his obedience. Right from that moment in the garden of Eden, humankind have been disobedient to God. We know that we are just as disobedient. St. Paul knew that we were still disobedient even though we are the church, striving to do God’s will. If we could suddenly be perfect because we decided to be a believer, St. Paul would have had no reason to tell the Philippians to have the attitude of Christ. Our inability to be obedient is the reason that Jesus came and died. He rose again, and through him we also have life eternal, despite our inabilities – how much good news is that??!
Even though Jesus knew that the crowd on the first Palm Sunday would turn against him in a few short days he accepted their praises and he willingly died for them. We are much the same as that crowd. We praise God at one point and strive to do His will and then we very quickly turn away. Jesus still died willingly for us and gives us eternal life.
And so, in saying “Hosanna” we are saying, “yes Lord God, you are my King and I welcome you and your reign, both in the world and over me personally”. And then in the next breath, we say “Hosanna”. And we are saying, “God save us, we cannot save ourselves and we constantly fail”
This week we celebrate Palm Sunday: the day we cry, “Hosanna”!
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