The gospel reading from the Revised Common Lectionary for Palm Sunday, March 28th, Mark 21:1-11 says:
“When they were approaching Jerusalem, at Bethphage and Bethany, near the Mount of Olives, he sent two of his disciples and said to them, “Go into the village ahead of you, and immediately as you enter it, you will find tied there a colt that has never been ridden; untie it and bring it. If anyone says to you, ‘Why are you doing this?’ Just say this, ‘The Lord needs it and will send it back here immediately.’” They went away and found a colt tied near a door, outside in the street. As they were untying it, some of the the bystanders said to them, “What are you doing, untying a colt?” They told them what Jesus had said; and they allowed them to take it. Then they brought the colt to Jesus and threw their cloaks on it; and he sat on it. Many people spread their cloaks on the road, and others spread leafy branches that they had cut in the fields. Then those who went ahead and those who followed were shouting, “Hosanna! Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord! Blessed is the coming kingdom of our ancestor David! Hosanna in the highest heaven!” Then he entered Jerusalem and went into the temple; and when he had looked around at everything, as it was already late, he went out to Bethany with the twelve.”
Palm Sunday represents the best of us. Jesus is approaching, coming near, and the community welcomes him with praise, with worship, in what is a really beautiful ritual. They use palm branches collectively proclaiming, “Hosanna!” This is a ritual that many local churches remember and celebrate together at the beginning of Holy Week. On Palm Sunday, we wave palm branches and proclaim, “Hosanna!”
Sometimes certain services stand out as particularly special in our lives. Perhaps it’s a Candlelight Christmas Eve Service or an outdoor Easter Sunrise Service. Maybe it’s All Saints Sunday or Pentecost, an annual revival, or homecoming service. The rituals of particular services can be something we look forward to. They provide something unique that helps us connect with God and with one another. In addition to the theological truth various worship services communicate, we may also have memories that revolve around these rituals. A friend once shared with me that singing in the choir on Christmas Eve always reminds her of her grandmother. She said she typically leaves that service with some tears, feeling that deep connection with her grandmother who has since passed on. In this case, the rituals of lighting the candles, singing the same hymns, and hearing the same passages of scripture unite my friend with the past and with her grandmother. We can all relate to the power that shared experiences and rituals play in our lives.
I remember one Palm Sunday Service at the Embreeville United Methodist Church. My friend Raymond came to church with me. We were both around 13 years old. We were good friends and for some reason for years afterward we would reminisce about that service. It came up from time to time and we would say to one another, “remember that time we went to church and waved the palm branches.” It’s interesting that out of all the good times we shared it was this ritual of waving branches that especially stood out. Raymond passed away after high school. I think of him every year on Palm Sunday and that time we shared together, worshiping God, waving the branches in joy.
Ritual is important. It has ways of uniting us here and now and across time and space. Things that unite us are vital. Too much time, energy, and attention are spent on things in the world that polarize us. Church has so many built in rituals and traditions that unify us as the body of Christ and that serve as annual reminders of the ways we are called to live and love one another. For example, the Revised Common Lectionary unifies Christians across the globe. The lectionary not only moves us through the Christian year, but the same passages of scripture are proclaimed and taught and preached in churches all over the world. We are united. In a similar way, Holy Communion unites all Christians. Far more takes place when we receive the sacrament of Holy Communion than can be expressed in words. When we receive communion we commune not only with one another and with God, but we commune with those who have gone before us and those who will come after us. How incredible!
Similarly when we wave the palm branches each year, I feel a deep connection with that crowd 2000 years ago when Jesus was welcomed in their midst. It is the best of us. Of course, we cannot escape the fact that this same crowd days later shouted for Jesus to be crucified. We are there too. We all have within us the remarkable capacity for good and for bad, grace and sin. Holy Week communicates all of this to our souls and teaches us that Jesus triumphs over all. And so as this most important and sacred week begins we wave branches and we worship the one who pours into us all rivers of living water. Jesus is the one who provides for us life abundant and eternal. For this reason, I trust that one day I’ll meet Raymond again and I suspect he will hand me a palm branch. We will share that time together, worshiping God, waving the branches in joy.
Will you pray with me? Gracious God, thank you for life abundant and eternal. Help us to live in unity and to love like you. Amen.