Word to the Wise
Sunday, April 9, 2017 - Palm Sunday of the Lord's Passion: At the Procession with Palms - ABC
[ and A: Matt 21:1-11B: Mark 11:1-10 or John 12:12-16 C: Luke 19:28-40,75]SUNDAY, APRIL 9, 2017 PALM SUNDAY OF THE LORD'S PASSION [Procession: Matthew 21:1-11; Mass: Isaiah 50:4-7; Philippians 2:6-11; Matthew 26:14 - 27:66] And when he entered Jerusalem the whole city was shaken and asked, "Who is this?" And the crowds replied, "This is Jesus the prophet, from Nazareth in Galilee." [Matthew] The most sacred days of our liturgical calendar begin today with the equivalent of a "ticker tape parade" scene. As always I invite and urge the Beloved Congregation to join "the crowds" and enter into the drama as it unfolds. The liturgy each day of this week will begin with a passage from Isaiah which ties the events in Jerusalem with the prophetic promises. The scripture from the Gospel According to Matthew [Year A] that is read at the procession today is really only the beginning. The intervening chapters are very important and, once again I urge everyone to read them throughout this week even though they are not the daily gospel passage. The reason is that what Jesus says in those chapters is said in Jerusalem and challenges all of us in the "crowds." We will go from "Hosanna" to "crucify him!" On Good Friday, however, the Passion will be taken from the Gospel According to John. But we can have Jesus' powerful images from those chapters in Matthew to serve as a background. The whole purpose of this is to intentionally enter into the experience. When the Passion is read today, we all take part. We are eyewitnesses to it all. It is all happening to us and for us. The waving palms and cloaks on the ground leading into Jerusalem will give way to a bloody trail leaving Jersualem on the path to Calvary. An intentional Holy Week can be a powerful spiritual experience. From the palms today to the open tomb Easter Sunday we can experience salvation in action. AMEN
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