Watching the Parade Pass Me By

Meditation on Palm/Passion Sunday

Isaiah 50:4-9a; Psalm 39:9-16; Philippians 2:5-11; Luke 19:28-40; (Luke 22:14-23:56)

Palm/Passion Sunday

Palm Sunday (also called Passion Sunday) marks the beginning of Holy Week in the Christian calendar. It commemorates Jesus Christ's triumphal entry into Jerusalem, when crowds welcomed him by waving palm branches and placing them in his path.

This day holds dual significance, representing both triumph and impending suffering:

Palm Sunday elements:

• Jesus enters Jerusalem riding on a donkey, fulfilling Old Testament prophecy

• Crowds spread cloaks and palm branches on the road

• People shout "Hosanna" and "Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord"

• The palm branches symbolize victory and peace

Passion elements:

• The same day begins the retelling of Christ's suffering and crucifixion (the Passion)

• Many churches begin reading the Passion narrative during this service

• The rapid shift from triumph to tragedy foreshadows the events of Holy Week

Contemporary observances:

• Worshipers often receive palm fronds or crosses made from palms

• Processions may occur, reenacting Jesus's entry into Jerusalem

• In some traditions, these palms are saved to be burned the following year to create ashes for Ash Wednesday

• The liturgical color is typically red, symbolizing the blood of Christ

Palm/Passion Sunday serves as a powerful transition from Lent into Holy Week, preparing Christians for the solemn commemorations of Maundy Thursday, Good Friday, and ultimately the celebration of Easter Sunday.

At our church, we begin the worship service observing Palm Sunday, and I use the sermon and last hymn to move toward Holy Week and the passion.

Watching the Parade Pass Us By

Observing both the Palm Sunday and Passion Sunday themes on the Sunday before Easter reminds us of how quickly and dramatically the situation changed for Jesus and his followers.

Literally, a joyful, triumphant parade is followed by a couple of betrayals, an illegal trial,, and an unwarranted execution. The Twelve gather for a ritual dinner with their teacher and friend and then almost immediately find themselves in hiding, mourning the horrific death of that very teacher and friend.

The people who lined the parade were mostly ordinary people, not unlike us. How did some of them get so carried away by the machinations of the Jewish leaders that they called for Jesus to die on a cross crying "crucify him!"? And what about those who remained loyal to Jesus? Where were they as things turned bad for their leader? Except for a very small group of mostly women relatives and friends, his closest followers his behind locked doors.

Therefore, I think it is crucial not to leave worship on the Sunday before Easter still waving our palms, watching the parade go by. We need to dig deep into our souls to accept what the world did to Jesus -- that very world that God so loved . . ., that world that we live and worship in.

Now that the parade has passed by, how should be profess, in word and deed, that Jesus is Lord?

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The Stones Will Shout

Not to be denied

The universe itself will

Burst forth

If we do not

Creation cannot contain

Its delight in being created

While we stand on the sidelines

Embarrassed to raise our voices

Uneasy with our emotions

Unsettled by our commitments

Ashamed of our silence

Yet silent