 Palm Sunday - Parish Eucharist Liturgy of the Palms: Jesus subverts the expectations his followers have of him as a national and political leader: he processes into the city, as would a conquering emperor, but, unlike an emperor rides on the back of a colt. Liturgy of the Passion: Jesus now reveals the true nature of his leadership: to become the servant of all, a sacrifice for many: a leader who will give instead of taking, who will serve instead of being served, who will bring salvation instead of judgement. The words of the poet Malcolm Guite beautifully sum up the week that lies before us: “Now, in Passiontide, Christ becomes all the more visibly, our companion. We walk with him and see him face and overcome our own worst fears; we see him take on, in us and for us, the pain, the frailty, the fear, the failure, and the death itself that haunts and shadows our life. We stay with him through his Good Friday as he stays with us through ours, so that when Easter dawns, we also share with him, and he bestows abundantly on us, the new life and light which death can never overcome.” Palm Gospel: Mark 11:1-11 When they were approaching Jerusalem, at Bethphage and Bethany, near the Mount of Olives, he sent two of his disciples and said to them, “Go into the village ahead of you, and immediately as you enter it, you will find tied there a colt that has never been ridden; untie it and bring it. If anyone says to you, ‘Why are you doing this?’ just say this, ‘The Lord needs it and will send it back here immediately.’” They went away and found a colt tied near a door, outside in the street. As they were untying it, some of the bystanders said to them, “What are you doing, untying the colt?” They told them what Jesus had said; and they allowed them to take it. Then they brought the colt to Jesus and threw their cloaks on it; and he sat on it. Many people spread their cloaks on the road, and others spread leafy branches that they had cut in the fields. Then those who went ahead and those who followed were shouting, “Hosanna! Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord! Blessed is the coming kingdom of our ancestor David! Hosanna in the highest heaven!” Then he entered Jerusalem and went into the temple; and when he had looked around at everything, as it was already late, he went out to Bethany with the twelve. Passion Gospel: Mark 14:32-15:39 (Passion Gospel performed in church, streamed online) The Collect True and humble king, hailed by the crowd as Messiah: grant us the faith to know you and love you, that we may be found beside you on the way of the cross, which is the path of glory. Amen. |
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