Palm and Passion Sunday

Mark 11:1-11
Mark 14:1 - 15:47

Via Dolorosa-Jerusalem

 

What a difference a couple of days can make! Jesus rides into town to shouts of “Hosanna in the highest! Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord!” Palm branches and coats lined the way as Jesus made his triumphant entry into Jerusalem. You could feel the energy and joy of celebration as they recognized him as the Messiah, the long awaited—Anointed One of God.

But we know the rest of the story, don’t we? We know that even as the shouts and songs of joy permeate the air, already there are clouds on the horizon, already there are others making plans to have Jesus killed.

I invite you to read and reread the scripture lessons above. We read the full story of Jesus’ Passion as we begin Holy Week to help us navigate the depths and difficulty of this most holy of weeks. It would be so easy to celebrate Palm Sunday and then skip right ahead to Easter. But as the old saying goes, “Without Good Friday there is no Easter!”

There is a street in Jerusalem know as the Via Dolorosa. (More information and great pictures click on: ViaDolorosa) It marks the path that Jesus walked, carrying his cross, on the way to his crucifixion, and ultimately, his bodily resurrection from the dead three days later. It is a difficult path that remembers and helps us remember a difficult story—the story of God incarnate giving everything that we might know and live into the fullness of God’s love

This week I invite you to walk the long and difficult path from celebration to crucifixion and death and from death to Resurrection! It will have its dark moments. But I promise, there is a shining light of love that awaits our arrival on Easter morning.

A Prayer as We Begin Holy Week

      Almighty God, your Son came to us humbly on a donkey's back and now he sits exalted by your right hand.  As we enter into Holy Week contemplating his path of suffering, help us to become loyal and steadfast disciples, that we may always hear his word, follow his teachings, and live in his Spirit. Open our hearts to receive the gift of this week and prepare us for that day when every knee shall bow and every tongue confess that he is Lord and King, to your eternal glory. Amen.

~ Rich Greenway