Sunday, April 14, 2019

Palm/Passion Sunday

The Revised Common Lectionary passages for the Lord’s Day are:

First Reading: (Palms) Luke19:28-40; (Passion) Isaiah 50:4-9a
Psalm: (Palms) 118:1-2, 19-29; (Passion) 31:9-16
Second Reading: Philippians 2:5-11
Gospel Reading: Luke 22:14-23:56 or Luke 23:1-49

The liturgical color for the day is: Purple

This Sunday marks the beginning of Holy Week and has traditionally been Palm Sunday.  In recent years the designation Passion Sunday has also been a good option depending on the worship structure and pattern of a congregation.  Palm Sunday is often celebrated if there are also Maundy Thursday and Good Friday worship opportunities planned.  If the practice is that there are no Good Friday or Maundy Thursday worships, then Passion Sunday is a good option.

While Palm Sunday focuses on the great parade, Passion Sunday has in focus the whole story of the passion.  Regardless of which choice the preacher makes the worship can be structured to focus on both.  A wonderful way to begin worship is to invite the congregation to assemble outside the worship space, read the proclamation of the entrance into Jerusalem (Luke 19:28-40) and then process into the church singing, shouting, and waving palm branches.  A suggested order for such a procession is found in the Book of Common Worship (both the new and older versions).

As for Palm Sunday:

This was big stuff—it was a parade.  It was one of two parades that happened that weekend.  The other parade was a major event.  The other parade came from the west.  This parade came from the east.  But this parade was turning into a major event too.

The other parade, the one that came from the west, was the imperial parade.  This was the week of the Passover.  Pilate was making a show of his power with all those sojourners in town for the Passover.  Draped in the gaudy glory of all his imperial power there were horses and chariots.

There was also the display of the shining armor of battle.  All of it was a demonstration of power—the Roman army at his side.  It made a clear statement to those religious sojourners about where real power was located.

But Luke tells us about this other parade that came at the city from the other way.  It is in stark and direct contrast to the parade of imperial power that came from the west.  It is the commoner’s parade.  It is Jesus in an ordinary robe riding not on a mighty horse, but on a donkey.  There is no display of armaments.  There are branches of trees.  There are palm branches and cloaks waving in the air.  There are growing crowds of people.

The parade was happening.  Jesus in Jerusalem.  Coming in from the east.  Lights.  Camera.  Action.  Here we go.  And the band played on and the chorus sang song: “Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord!  Peace in heaven, and glory in the highest heaven!”

Daris Bultena
PTF General Presbyter