Today is, what in the Church Calendar, is called 'Palm Sunday' - celebrated a week before Easter. Traditionally it's the day when we reflect on Christ's triumphant entry into Jerusalem amid the welcoming enthusiasm of the crowds that had caught on to news of Lazarus' raising among many other things.
This scenario and the following Easter week is full of contrasts - betrayal and trust, love and hate, denial and faith, justice and coercion, mercy and brutality. I can't help thinking of the bizarre turnaround from the outpouring of emotion of the 'Palm Sunday' moment, to the same crowd calling for Jesus' execution one week later. Sure they wanted a deliverer, but Jesus didn't fit the mould for their kind of warrior saviour. The crowd wavered in it's support and opinion over these days, but the message and actions of Christ remained constant as indeed it still does - amid our often wavering still.
The full horror and delicate beauty of the Easter week, is not contained in a sanitized pic and mix Saviour, to make us feel good for five minutes to suit our wants; but in the stark reality of a sacrificial ragamuffin saviour, bringing hope to a weary and wounded world. How we see the Christ of Easter and how we see the people around him at that time, will have a huge bearing on how we may, or may not choose to follow Him. Me, I'll hang on to the hope that while everything around Christ was shifting, he stayed true to what needed to be done and for that I am eternally grateful.
Sean
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The Palm Sunday story is contained in Chapter 12 of John's Gospel which can be found here
2 comments:
Poignant & true words Sean. I'm with you.
Aye Sean !
Spot on mate. I am eternally grateful too, for the reality of our wonderful Saviour, and the place He took on our behalf.
Amen.
Gozz.
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