Posted on by atfurse

Palm Sunday

‘But all this has taken place so that the Scriptures of the prophets might be fulfilled’

‘Ond digwyddodd hyn oll fel y cyflawnid yr hyn a ysgrifennodd y proffwydi’’(Mt 26:56)

Today marks the beginning of the holiest week of the Church’s year. It starts with Our Lord’s Triumphal entry into Jerusalem. This was much more than a royal visit. It was the proclamation of the Messiah, and a fulfilment of prophecy. The prophet Zechariah, writing 500 years before Jesus, looks forward to a messianic future:

‘Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion! Shout aloud, O daughter of Jerusalem! Behold, your king is coming to you; righteous and having salvation is he, humble and mounted on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey.’ (Zech 9:9)

Likewise, the prophet Isaiah anticipates the arrival of the Messiah in the following words:

‘Behold, the Lord has proclaimed to the end of the earth: Say to the daughter of Zion, “Behold, your salvation comes; behold, his reward is with him, and his recompense before him.”’ (Isa 62:11)

Both prophets deliver a message of salvation, with God saving His people. The name ‘Jesus’ means ‘God saves’, and in Him we see salvation incarnate.

In Twelfth-century Jerusalem a procession took place on Palm Sunday  which recreated Jesus’ journey from Bethany to Jerusalem. The city’s famous Golden Gate [Porta Aurea], was only opened on this day of the year. Through this gate, the King, representing Christ, rode in on a donkey, whilst the people waved palm branches and cried “Hosanna to the Son of David”. In our own way, we too are re-creating Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem here today.

The donkey ridden by Jesus reminds us of the humble beast of burden, which carried his Mother Mary to Bethlehem for His birth, and then carried the Holy Family into exile in Egypt. This is an act of humble leadership which fulfils what was foreseen by the prophets. It shows us that Jesus Christ is truly the one who fulfils the hopes of Israel. The Hebrew Scriptures look forward to the deliverance of the Israelites, and this is enacted in front of the eyes of those watching the Carpenter’s son enter the holy City.

Today’s service begins with joy and triumph. However, with the reading of the Passion Gospel, we move to the events of Thursday and Friday of Holy Week. Suddenly, the mood is more mysterious. Our Lord celebrates the Passover with His disciples. This is the celebration of the people of Israel’s journey from slavery in Egypt to freedom in the Promised Land, passing through the Red Sea, and wandering for forty years in the desert. Jesus also blesses bread and wine and says, ‘This is My Body’ and ‘This is My Blood’, something which the Church continues to celebrate every day in the Eucharist. 

After spending time in prayer with His disciples, Our Lord is arrested. He is charged with blasphemy, and brought for trial before the Roman Governor, Pontius Pilate. A few days earlier Jesus was hailed as the Messiah, the Saviour of the people, and now all the crowd can do is shout ‘Let him be crucified!’. A joyous public have turned into a baying mob. Popular opinion can be very fickle. What is striking is that Christ remains silent:

‘But when he was accused by the chief priests and elders, he gave no answer. Then Pilate said to him, “Do you not hear how many things they testify against you?” But he gave him no answer, not even to a single charge, so that the governor was greatly amazed.’ (Mt 27:12-14)

Here Jesus is fulfilling the prophecy of Isaiah, regarding the Suffering Servant, where he declares:

‘He was oppressed, and he was afflicted, yet he opened not his mouth; like a lamb that is led to the slaughter, and like a sheep that before its shearers is silent, so he opened not his mouth.’ (Isaiah 53:7)

Our Lord’s silence speaks powerfully to the injustice of the situation. Pilate wants to release Jesus but is afraid that a riot might break out, so washes his hands of the situation, thereby condemning an innocent man. The Roman governor takes the easy way out, bowing to popular pressure. At a human level this is understandable, if rather weak. In contrast, Christ stands in silence, a model of humility and strength, submitting to death for love of us, and all humanity.

Humility is not a popular virtue these days, The world around us would have us be the exact opposite: full of ourselves, with a high opinion of our abilities. Ours is a society which is more and more characterised by the sin of selfishness. The individual is all that matters: me and what I want, is all that counts. At the root of all this is pride, thinking that we are more important than we are, making ourselves the focal point. In contrast, as Christians we need to put God at the centre of things, and learn to be thankful. To quote from Fulton Sheen:

Gratitude is characteristic only of the humble. The egotistic are so impressed by their own importance that they take everything given them as if it were their due. They have no room in their hearts for recollection of the undeserved favours they have received. [On Being Human, 1982: 325]

As people of faith, we need to adopt the mind of Christ. That means embracing a way of thinking that is devoted to love and the service of God. Christ doesn’t just do what He wants to. Instead everything that He says and that He does is in service to the will of God the Father. Jesus prays in the Garden of Gethsemane for the strength to do God’s will. He demonstrates humility and obedience in action: embracing the most degrading death possible, for love of us. Thus, we should love Jesus. We should worship Him, because He is God, and He loves us. The Saviour of the World scorns majesty. Instead, He embraces shame and sin, total utter humiliation, to save us. Jesus does this to heal the wounds of disobedience and division, so that we might have life with Him for ever. This is why Jesus is willing to take on our human frailty and to redeem us through His suffering. Through His vulnerability, He shows the World that God’s ways are different from ours. His is the example we are called to follow — the way of suffering love and humility.

And so, my brothers and sisters in Christ, today, and in the coming week, we see what God’s Love and Glory are really like. It is not what people expect. This is power shown in humility, strength in weakness. As we continue our Lenten journey in the triumph of this day, and look towards the Holy and Life-giving Cross and beyond to the new life of Easter, let us trust in the Lord. Let us be like Him, so that He may transform our hearts, our minds, and our lives, allowing us to experience life in all its fullness. Through God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit, Duw Dad, Duw Y Mab, a Duw yr Ysbryd Glân. To whom be ascribed all glory, dominion, and power, now and forever. Amen.

Posted on by atfurse

Palm Sunday 2024

IN THIS COUNTRY when we want to celebrate something there is often some kind of procession. Sports teams who win trophies go on an open-topped bus. After King Charles’ Coronation, there was a great procession from Westminster Abbey back to Buckingham Palace. Today, we see the entry of the Messiah into Jerusalem. The Davidic King has made His triumphal entry, something which we have reenacted ourselves this morning, waving palms and singing, ‘Hosanna to the Son of David!’. The prophet Zechariah, writing 500 years before Jesus, looks forward to a messianic future:

‘Rejoice greatly, O daughter of Zion! Shout aloud, O daughter of Jerusalem! Behold, your king is coming to you; righteous and having salvation is he, humble and mounted on a donkey, on a colt, the foal of a donkey.’

‘Bydd lawen iawn, ti ferch Seion; a chrechwena, ha ferch Jerwsalem: wele dy frenin yn dyfod atat: cyfiawn ac achubydd yw efe; y mae efe yn llariaidd, ac yn marchogaeth ar asyn, ac ar ebol llwdn asen.’ (Zech 9:9)

The donkey ridden by Jesus reminds us of the humble beast of burden, which carried his Mother to Bethlehem for His birth, and then carried the Holy Family into exile in Egypt. This is an act of humble leadership which realizes what the prophets foresaw. It shows us that Jesus Christ is truly the one who fulfils the hopes of Israel. The Hebrew Scriptures look forward to the deliverance of Israel. This deliverance is enacted in front of the eyes of those watching the Carpenter’s son enter the Holy City.

Scripture is fulfilled and there is a burst of popular enthusiasm, people wave palm branches and cry out. However, having someone claim to be a relative of King David is a direct challenge to Herod, the puppet ruler installed to comply with the Romans. The events we heard described, before our procession this morning, look something like a political coup — a bid to replace a leader lacking legitimacy. Such an attempt is bound to have political repercussions. It represents a direct challenge to the ruling house and to Rome, and therefore it has to be countered. The masses in Jerusalem are expecting a king of the Davidic line. One who would be seen as a challenge to the ruling élite, the status quo. But in Christ, God gives Israel something else. Yes, he is a King of the line of David. But Jesus is one who rules with love, and who has no desire for power, or honour. Naturally, the leaders and those in authority are threatened by Him: Jesus turns their world on its head. He is an awkward inconvenience. Jesus, however, does not want their power. He has come to be and accomplish something completely different. What is seen as a potential political coup is in fact a renewal of religion, the fulfilment of prophecy, and a new hope for Israel. Political and religious leaders can only see the threat, rather than the opportunity which Christ offers.

At its heart Christianity is an offer of new life in Jesus Christ. This starts with repentance, and acceptance of our need for God. As we grow in faith, we come to believe and trust in a God who loves us, and gives Himself for us. Then we can experience healing, wholeness, and fullness of life in and through Him. Such gifts come at a cost, which the week ahead will make clear to us in the most stark and direct way. 

Over the next few days we will see the joy and celebration of today turned into anger and resentment. Crowds which cried ‘Hosanna’ will soon shout ‘Crucify him!’. This should come as no surprise to us. We know how people can be fickle and manipulated. And yet, on the same night He will be betrayed, Jesus takes bread and wine, blesses them and says, ‘This is my Body … This is my Blood’. ‘hwn yw fy nghorff … hwn yw fy ngwaed’ These words are repeated when the Eucharist is celebrated because Our Lord told us to ‘Do this’ ‘gwnewch hyn’ and so we do. We come together so that God can feed us with His very self, so that we can have life in Him. This is not an optional extra, it is fundamental to who and what we are as Christians. In the Eucharist we experience God’s love, His body broken for us, His blood poured out, to heal us. This is the banquet of the Kingdom, the Wedding Feast of the Lamb, and we are all invited!

Today, and in the coming week, we see what God’s Love and God’s Glory are really like. They are not what people expect. God’s power is shown in humility, strength in weakness. As we continue our Lenten journey in the triumph of this day, we look towards the Holy and Life-giving Cross and beyond to the new life of Easter. Let us trust in the Lord, and go with Him to Calvary, and beyond. Let us raise our palms and sing the praises of God the Father, God the Son, and God the Holy Spirit. To whom be ascribed all glory, dominion, and power, now and forever. Amen.