Palm Sunday:

Palm Sunday 2008
Rev. Mariann Babnis

Year in and year out we hear the same old story. Jesus riding into Jerusalem with branches spread before his donkey. Triumphant in this setting. We reconstruct it here [with the choir, acolytes and Eucharistic ministers] standing aside/outside. We reconstruct the singing with: Hosanna!

We bring all that in here, and the next few minutes are transformed into his death and burial.

And it's the same old story. We latch onto parts of it that we've latched onto before. Or maybe something new. I've picked three verses I think show how all this went down. How all this excitement got carried out.

But how then would the scriptures be fulfilled, which say it must happen in this way?

Here is Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane. He has just been kissed by Judas and hands had been laid on him. One of his disciples pulls out his sword and takes off the ear of a servant of the high priest.

Is this how it's supposed to happen? Jesus seems almost incredulous. But how then would scriptures be fulfilled?

Jesus isn't looking at scripture out of the Old Testament. But he is looking at scripture he is writing - about everyone leaving him in his trial and no one showing up again until after his death. And indeed that's so - except for Peter, none of them do we see until after the resurrection.

How does this happen to us? Do our loved ones leave when we most need them? In times of trial - sickness, financial trouble, housing problems. Do our loved ones or friends consider us a bad omen for the future and ignore us? Do they attack another to help us?

Or is it we who are attacking, trying to help? How do we reach out to the poor, and those in need?

If we do respond to others in this way then: His blood be on us and on our children!

That was what the people so cavalierly cried just before Pilate release Barabbas to them.
That is what they wanted. Oh if they only knew how bad their cry was. Jesus' blood was being shed not only for the people standing in the crowd, but on their children. These children would see their temple destroyed and their faith scattered.

Why did they inflict this disaster on their children? They must have been confident that what they were doing as OK and would sit well with the next generation.

How do we do the same thing? Why do we crucify Christ this way - year after year? We've had our problems around here: with youth ministers who didn't work out, and rectory repairs, and people leaving. What are we inflicting on those who are coming up after us in these walls? Will they be stronger than we were when we faced such travails?

I hope so. I hope that our young people will be stronger that we are; wiser than we are; more committed than we are because: This is Jesus, the King of the Jews.

That's the sign the people put above Jesus head before they crucified him. They took him, made him walk a long way with a heavy cross on his shoulder, and finally struck nails into his hands and his feet.

They crucified him with two other men. And when he had finished suffering, had finished living, he gave up his soul.

But how then would the scriptures be fulfilled, which say it must happen in this way?

His blood be on us and on our children!
This is Jesus, the King of the Jews.

When we're finished suffering and we're finished living let us look to Jesus for an example of death. For whatever he faced we cannot face as much. Whatever Jesus endured we cannot endure it. For whatever Jesus fought in this way – a man upon a cross – we cannot fight in the same way.

Amen.