The Rev. Margaret Watson
St. Margaret's Episcopal Church & School
Zechariah 9:9-12 | Psalm 118:19-29 | 1 Timothy 6:12-16 | Luke 19:29-40
Palm Sunday. It is almost like a little Easter isn't it? As a kid I loved Palm Sunday. It was exciting. There were extra banners, special music, special parades and "exotic" plants like palms. It meant Lent was almost over and Easter was almost upon us. Palm Sunday meant the kitchen in my home went into high gear. It meant a new dress for Easter sewn on the kitchen table and the preparations for that Easter dinner would begin, special food and special plates. Most especially the cake that was shaped like a lamb was baked and covered with coconut shavings. Why? I do not know. But it was very exciting.
Palm Sunday now; it's a whole different experience. It is almost like limbo; not Easter, definitely not Easter. Right now, Palm Sunday feels light years away from Easter. We have all of Holy Week to get through before we get to Easter. Holy Week looks like it is going to take a whole month to get through. But truly, in reflection, what are we celebrating tonight? What is so special about Jesus telling his disciples to go get a colt and his riding into Jerusalem?
Let's get right to it. Palm Sunday is the compelling climax before the final scene. Palm Sunday is when the whole stage is set, all the characters are on, the lights are up, and the music is great. Palm Sunday is the colorful and majestic crescendo for the whole first part of the Gospel. This is where we get to sing and dance and wave banners in the air and shout, "Here comes the King, here comes the King! Peace and Glory, Here comes the King!" This is where we get to play the good guys. This is where we know who is coming down that road. Today is that time, that in between time, between the beginning and the end of the story, and before the tragedy unfolds before us. For one last moment we get to put off remembering what lies ahead of us this week: the Passion; that deep mystery of death and eternal life. The passion where we can no longer deny our own treachery and sinfulness. Palm Sunday. For this little time we get it right.
Or do we? In this Gospel of Luke, Jesus has already said three times - - We are going to Jerusalem. Everything written in the prophets will come true. The Son of Man will be handed over mocked, insulted , spit upon, flogged and killed. On the third day he will rise again. Luke concludes, "the disciples did not understand any of this." The meaning was hidden from them. They did not know what he was talking about. Do we know why Jesus asked for colt? Do we know why they were waving palm fronds and throwing their cloaks down before out Lord? I tried for two weeks to look it up. I gave up and had my husband try. He gave up. It was something between the festival of well, something and Passover and well something….Even the historians are not sure. If we sing, and dance and the meaning is hidden from us, perhaps we are in good company, right there with the disciples. Perhaps the most important thing at this time is to accept the invitation of our Lord to accompany him, to go with him. The meaning is hidden from us, but to run and fetch colts for him and don't know why is to accept the invitation. To throw our cloaks before him and so the stones don't have to shout, we may shout, "Blessed is the King who comes! Peace and Glory, here comes the King!" Perhaps the most important thing at this time is the mystery, the not knowing.
Lent is almost over; Easter is almost upon us. Welcome to Holy Week, that time between times through which all time is held. Let's throw our pretension of knowing on the road before our Lord and enter the mystery of not knowing.
Holy Week. This Holy time, the deepest mystery of our faith.