Misplaced Joy
A reflection for Palm/Passion Sunday
Growing up, I have to admit I always looked forward to Palm Sunday… quite often because we did make a big deal about it at church. The congregations that I was a part of weren’t necessarily that big on the various days of the church year, but Palm Sunday was certainly one of the big ones. Hosanna, Loud Hosanna, the Little Children Sang! All Glory Laud and Honour, to thee redeemer king, for whom the lips of children, their sweet hosanna’s ring… it was largely a day that seemed to be tailor made for children. In celebrating the joyful triumphal entry of Jesus into Jerusalem, it was very much a part of that whole parade mentality. I have to say that I enjoyed it! Who wouldn’t? Everyone loves to be part of parade…
But as I grew older, I began to realize how misplaced all of this joy and celebration was. After all, if Easter was the real celebration, and Good Friday was between now and then, then why all of this celebration and palm-branch waving? I began to wonder if all of this apparent joy and celebration wasn’t somehow misplaced.
Oddly enough it is. In fact, the whole joy and celebration of Palm Sunday IS misplaced… and that is the story we miss. The common people are waving Palm branches, throwing their cloaks down in front of this teacher from the north. Whispers of the Messiah has come to them… an heir to the throne of David, and the people have been waiting so long for this. They have struggled under the weight of Roman occupation for years… and before that Greek kings, and before that the Babylonians… and before that… well, it has gone on for far too long…
The expectations of the people of Israel had built up over centuries of oppressive rule. They want a political ruler… they want a powerful earthly king who will live up to their expectations… kicking the Romans out, and restoring things to the way they were… the good old days. When the crowds start to gather, those hopes and dreams build, along with their cries. They flock to his side, and shout their welcome to this one that people say is the Son of David. They shout “Messiah!” They shout “Hosanna!” They shout their welcome to this new king that has come into their midst. It is a joyous and triumphal day… but it is very short lived… Soon the cries will turn into something else… something much darker.
Why? We know from the Dead Sea Scrolls and other documents from the time that the expectations of a messiah were so incredibly high. So high in fact that not even Jesus can live up to them.
As much as we celebrate Palm Sunday with joyful praises, waving our palm branches, and joining in the choruses of “hosanna” I think we forget how misplaced those celebrations were. Everybody flocked to Jesus, thinking that he would fulfill their own expectations, their own desires and wants. Their praises and welcome were for an earthly king. Yet when it soon became clear that Jesus was not there to assume the throne, their tone changed. Soon the object of their praise would become the target of scorn and ridicule. Joy turns to anger, open hands become clenched fists… and by the end of the week, this welcomed teacher, hailed as messiah, will stand condemned by the same people who welcomed him.
While it is tempting to simply skip ahead to next Sunday, going from celebration to celebration, we must remember the Passion. The road to Easter stops at the foot of the cross, and there is no way around it. We need to remember our darkest moment, when all of humanity rose up against God… because God didn’t live up to our expectations. It is a very important part as we journey through holy week, because it makes the miracle at Easter that much more profound… because it is truly the whole story.
Amen.
Growing up, I have to admit I always looked forward to Palm Sunday… quite often because we did make a big deal about it at church. The congregations that I was a part of weren’t necessarily that big on the various days of the church year, but Palm Sunday was certainly one of the big ones. Hosanna, Loud Hosanna, the Little Children Sang! All Glory Laud and Honour, to thee redeemer king, for whom the lips of children, their sweet hosanna’s ring… it was largely a day that seemed to be tailor made for children. In celebrating the joyful triumphal entry of Jesus into Jerusalem, it was very much a part of that whole parade mentality. I have to say that I enjoyed it! Who wouldn’t? Everyone loves to be part of parade…
But as I grew older, I began to realize how misplaced all of this joy and celebration was. After all, if Easter was the real celebration, and Good Friday was between now and then, then why all of this celebration and palm-branch waving? I began to wonder if all of this apparent joy and celebration wasn’t somehow misplaced.
Oddly enough it is. In fact, the whole joy and celebration of Palm Sunday IS misplaced… and that is the story we miss. The common people are waving Palm branches, throwing their cloaks down in front of this teacher from the north. Whispers of the Messiah has come to them… an heir to the throne of David, and the people have been waiting so long for this. They have struggled under the weight of Roman occupation for years… and before that Greek kings, and before that the Babylonians… and before that… well, it has gone on for far too long…
The expectations of the people of Israel had built up over centuries of oppressive rule. They want a political ruler… they want a powerful earthly king who will live up to their expectations… kicking the Romans out, and restoring things to the way they were… the good old days. When the crowds start to gather, those hopes and dreams build, along with their cries. They flock to his side, and shout their welcome to this one that people say is the Son of David. They shout “Messiah!” They shout “Hosanna!” They shout their welcome to this new king that has come into their midst. It is a joyous and triumphal day… but it is very short lived… Soon the cries will turn into something else… something much darker.
Why? We know from the Dead Sea Scrolls and other documents from the time that the expectations of a messiah were so incredibly high. So high in fact that not even Jesus can live up to them.
As much as we celebrate Palm Sunday with joyful praises, waving our palm branches, and joining in the choruses of “hosanna” I think we forget how misplaced those celebrations were. Everybody flocked to Jesus, thinking that he would fulfill their own expectations, their own desires and wants. Their praises and welcome were for an earthly king. Yet when it soon became clear that Jesus was not there to assume the throne, their tone changed. Soon the object of their praise would become the target of scorn and ridicule. Joy turns to anger, open hands become clenched fists… and by the end of the week, this welcomed teacher, hailed as messiah, will stand condemned by the same people who welcomed him.
While it is tempting to simply skip ahead to next Sunday, going from celebration to celebration, we must remember the Passion. The road to Easter stops at the foot of the cross, and there is no way around it. We need to remember our darkest moment, when all of humanity rose up against God… because God didn’t live up to our expectations. It is a very important part as we journey through holy week, because it makes the miracle at Easter that much more profound… because it is truly the whole story.
Amen.
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