Palm Sunday message

Palm Sunday – ‘Palm Day’

How strange today seemed not being able to celebrate Palm Sunday together – no singing of ‘Hosanna loud Hosanna’ or waving of our hands as palms branches! I am sure you too missed being at church and wondering what I would be making you all do to celebrate, for it is after all one of the days in the Christian year when we allegedly dour Presbyterians become a little more animated, excited and dramatic!!

Of course, Jesus’ entry

into Jerusalem at the beginning of what we now call Holy Week was indeed full of drama and excitement and the way he rode into Jerusalem left no-one in doubt that he was the one coming to fulfil the prophecy of Zechariah written hundreds of years before:

‘Shout aloud oh Daughter Jerusalem! Lo your King comes to you; triumphant and victorious is he, humble and riding on a donkey…. He will cut off the chariot of Ephraim and the warhorse from Jerusalem and the battle-bow shall be cut off and he shall command peace to the nations, his dominion shall be from sea to sea and from the river to the ends of the earth.’ (Zechariah 9: 9)

Here was Jesus coming into Jerusalem, ruled by Rome with a powerful Emperor and a mighty army where no rivalry would be tolerated and with his band of followers he is almost making fun of the power and authority of Rome, almost inciting a powerful uprising against Rome by his actions. No longer telling parables in and around Galilee but making this public, controversial and subversive demonstration as he enters Jerusalem.  I am sure he did not want to die, but his passion for justice and his complete commitment to human flourishing led him to take greater and greater risks to show the contrast between the world as it was and the world as God intended it to be and this risky act of nonviolence which began on the first day of Holy Week would lead directly to Jesus tragic death.

At this time of great uncertainty for all of us we can see that same spirit of commitment and selflessness which Jesus portrayed being displayed around us as thousands of volunteers join our health professionals putting themselves in danger of disease and even death in the cause of humanity.  We have seen it too in construction staff building hospitals, care workers and supermarket staff remaining resolute in the face of this dangerous unseen foe we call Covid-19.

I pray that the Palm Sunday story of Jesus riding into Jerusalem on a donkey may continue to challenge and inspire us to follow in Jesus’ way of nonviolent action, costly acts of loving kindness and gracious compassion, so that we too are participating in God’s purposes for the world.

Prayer for Palm Sunday

Lord Jesus,

On Palm Sunday you rode into Jerusalem on a donkey, riding into a troubled and anxious world as the Prince of Peace.

At the beginning of Holy Week we pray for all who feel troubled and anxious, even fearful in this uncertain time, and we ask that you would come into their lives Lord and bring them the peace which only you can give. 

We pray that we too may be strengthened in the knowledge of your love, and that your spirit of peace and hopefulness, courage and generosity may find a place in our hearts and our actions. Through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.