Palm Sunday

The Venerable Ralph Leavitt, Honorary Associate Priest

Palm Sunday is such an emotional roller coaster. As the introduction to this service (in the Book of Alternative Services) says: “The people welcomed Jesus with alms and shouts of praise, but the path before him led to self-giving, suffering and death.” Today we start by waving palms, we end by reading Christ’s passion. We know, to use a phrase from Jesse Zink’s sermon last Sunday, “death is all around us.” Jesus is headed straight to the Cross to die. Yet even in this most difficult time of death before the resurrection, with eyes of faith one can find there are small signs of hope, glimmers of the Easter light to come..

Today I want to concentrate on the people who were around Jesus as he hung on his Cross.

First there were the Scribes and Pharisees who had been against Jesus from the start. They yell out to Jesus; “He saved others; he cannot save himself. He is the King of Israel; let him come down from the cross now, and we will believe him.” This comment makes me think of the temptations that Jesus faced at the very beginning of his ministry. The devil tempted him many times, and when Jesus would not sin, the scripture says; When the devil had finished every test, he departed from him until an opportune time. Well, it seems that Jesus dying on the Cross is that opportune time because the devil tempts Jesus again through the words of the leaders. “He cannot save himself ” they cry. The devil is tempting Jesus to take power himself to save himself. Jesus refuses and stays on the Cross. He will never fall to the wiles of the devil.

Second there are the soldiers who have prepared Jesus for the cross. They mock him yelling: “Hail, King of Jews!” They spit on him, and strike him on the head. Here we have pagan people, soldiers of the Roman Empire, and in their own way they too are tempting Jesus with earthly power, to be King of the Jews. King of an earthly nation of people. To sit on the throne in Jerusalem. Jesus refuses.

Third, the bystanders looking up at Jesus. They deride him and yell “You who would destroy the temple and build it in three days, save yourself! If you are the Son of God, come down from the cross”. They are sounding quite devilish. Jesus refuses.

This is, I feel, perhaps the most desolate place and time Jesus ever encountered on earth. Not only is he on a Cross to die, but also seemingly all those around him mock him and tempt him, not having understood one iota of his ministry on earth. It is a desolate time. Jesus cries out his last words “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” Here Jesus quotes Psalm 22. Indeed a psalm of lament, yet it also a psalm that shows David’s faith in God. For Matthew, the emphasis of his Gospel always had been to show that Jesus was the Messiah. Psalm 22 is a plea for deliverance from suffering. Jesus’ cry would have been that of a suffering Savior facing death for the most noble cause. Here, Jesus has become truly vulnerable for the sake of his creation.

But then, out of death, darkness and deceit comes a first glimmer of Easter. Suddenly as Jesus dies, the curtain of the temple was torn in two, tombs were opened, and saints were raised. Is this a precursor to the resurrection? Saints being raised by God?

And finally, finally, the truth arrives from a most unlikely person, from a centurion, a powerful soldier in the Roman army. He has been here the whole while, probably agreeing with the cruel actions of some of this soldiers. But now, with the death of Jesus, he can say only one thing, only one thing; “Surely this man was God’s son.” This centurion is the first person after Jesus’ death to believe in him. Another glimmer of Easter.

Today we have arrived at the foot of the cross. What is it that you want to say to Jesus? Yes, we are disciples and we know our hope. But we are human too. Is there something you want to say to Jesus? Jesus is listening. This is the time for your last Lenten practice.

To conclude, with words from the Gospel of Luke, are words uttered by one of the prisoners on the cross beside Jesus. Words that are yet another glimmer of Easter on the horizon. Words that gave Jesus hope on the Cross, and words that will always give us hope, for Jesus is with us always.

“Jesus, remember me when you come into your kingdom.”

Thanks be to God.

Amen.