Palm/Passion Sunday              Luke 19:28-40, 22:14-23:56                 4/4/04

                                       "What's Palm Sunday Without Palms?"

Imagine the scene. It’s a bright, sunny day. You can feel the warmth of the sun penetrating your clothes, working its warmth through to your bones. You’re sitting on the back of a young horse. You’re being bounced around a good bit because this colt has never been ridden before, but, that’s okay. It’s just good to be off your feet for a while - off those feet Mary so recently washed, perfumed with nard and dried with her hair - all this as preparation for your burial...No, let’s not think about that just now. For now, the sun is shining, you’re fully alive and enjoying the shouted affirmations of this large band of disciples. This larger group surrounds you as you ride down the road - some going before, some on the sides and some after. They shout, "Blessed is the king who comes in the name of the Lord," and "Peace in heaven and glory in the highest." For the moment at least, it doesn’t even matter to you that they still don’t seem to understand the kind of king you are and that this triumphal entry isn’t going to go as they imagine. It’s just fun to be with them and see their pleasure.

They lay their cloaks in the road before the colt, just the way people do when a conquering hero rides by. And they wave...uh, they wave...WAIT A MINUTE! Where are the palms? You don’t see any palms! What’s Palm Sunday without palms?!

In fact, what has happened to Palm Sunday? When I was growing up we devoted an entire worship to Jesus triumphal ride into Jerusalem. We sang the royal hymns and happily waved our palms through the whole service. In fact, I was even confirmed on Palm Sunday. But with or without confirmation, Palm Sunday was a much needed break from the dreariness of Lent and a chance to rejoice before the plunge into Maundy Thursday and Good Friday. It was a little Easter experience that got us ready for the real thing a week later. Now we spend just barely enough time observing Palm Sunday to keep the palm growers in business.

I shared my puzzlement - what happened to Palm Sunday and when did the Passion nearly take over this day? - with some internet colleagues. Their responses ranged from the practical (Since so many people skip Maundy Thursday and Good Friday services, the change was necessary so people would get some sense of the passion), to the scholarly (a long history lesson showing that Palm Sunday as a worship observance was really a modern change and now we’ve returned to the ancient church’s practice), to a rather condescending note that strongly implied that anyone who wanted a full observance of Palm Sunday wasn’t liturgically orthodox or a serious Christian.

I might argue with this "push Palm Sunday aside" practice. The plunge into the pain and horror of Passion Week is heightened by the contrast between Jesus’ popularity on Sunday and His betrayal, abandonment and rejection so few days later. We can better identify with Peter, Judas, Pilate, the crowds or even the Pharisees as we view their sins from the perspective of Palm Sunday. We can see how our commitment and enthusiasm for the faith can turn to denial when commitment could cost more than we feel we can afford. We can be tempted to sell Jesus out for far less than thirty pieces of silver. We can choose the safe over what is right. We can flip-flop in our stand on issues and give up our integrity pleasing others. We can even commit sin trying to do what is right, judging others or lording our rightness over them. And I would argue that the proper observance of Palm Sunday sets us up for this realization of our part in Jesus passion.

Furthermore, our ability to appreciate Jesus’ extraordinary love for us is enhanced by keeping the Palm more fully in Palm Sunday. Think about it! Jesus didn’t have to ride into town on a colt or a donkey, making himself seem a fool. He could have had the most kingly war horse ever bred. He didn’t have to be cheered by a rag-tag band of followers. He could have been heralded by all the angels of heaven and have commanded attendance by all the rulers of the world. He didn’t have to wear thorns for a crown or be enthroned on a cross. He could have enjoyed all the rank the Son of God deserved.

But Jesus Christ was (and is) the King of Love. He gives up the power and prestige of divinity to suffer like us and for us. He makes a mockery of a triumphal entry and dies the object of mockery, so that we can triumph over death and live with Him in glory for all eternity.

Yes, He did this for us. He did it for people who fully and faithfully participate in every worship opportunity. He did it for people who need to have the passion story presented on Palm Sunday because they can’t or won’t be present in church again until Easter. And He did it for those who worship only on Easter (and may be Christmas) and He did it for those who think Easter is just about bunnies and peeps. He did it for you and He did it for me.

In the end, they can take the palms out of Palm Sunday or even take Palm Sunday out of the church calendar, so long as we can say with the centurion at the foot of the cross, "Surely, this was an innocent man." He was the Son of God and He gave His life for us. Amen.