Title: Still Today
Scripture: Matthew 21:1-11, Matthew 26:6-13,
Matthew 26:2-5, 14-16
3/20/05 Palm Sunday, Year A
Rev. Joy R. Haertig
It can come as a shock to the system - moving from the joy of our Palm Sunday entry, flower in hand and a song on our lips to the shock of hearing the words in Matthew that tell us the crucifixion is near.
We can try to distance ourselves from its sting by remembering that Easter is just around the corner; by assuring ourselves that this terror happened twenty centuries ago.
Perhaps we can claim that there have been no more crosses, but we can not claim that there have been no more crucifixions.
We can try and distance ourselves from the story or we can be honest enough to enter into it and feel the feelings that accompany it and be empowered to make the changes that the cross cries out for.
We cannot blame God for this terror - God is not a murderer.
We know that what humans were capable of doing then, we are still capable of doing today.
Crucifixions take various forms. I have asked some of you to share how you see Christ still being crucified today - (Kristine Cunningham, Karien Balluff, Bill Lerch, Diedrich Meinken, and Tom Hamilton each spoke from their own hearts about how they see Christ still being crucified today.)
To honestly consider the cross and the crucifixion can provoke feelings of guilt, shame, anger or even defensiveness.
It is easy to feel overwhelmed or helpless in the face of it.
The intent of the cross is to help us distinguish between the kind of suffering that is a natural part of life and the kind of suffering that is inflicted by humanity's inhumanity. We tend to look at the cross and stop with the question, “Where was God?” Or “Why did God allow this to happen?”
But forget to ask, “How could we do this?”
The intent of the cross is not to burden us with shame but to empower us towards justice.
The intent of the cross is to free us from our personal pride and to ground us in a life-giving humility.
The intent of the cross is to wake us up from our complacency and denial.
Asian theologian C.S. Song writes about the silence that falls upon the world in the face of this kind of horror - he believes that God is silent, in shock over what God's creation is able and willing to do with the freedom we have been given.
Palm Sunday is a stark reminder of our fickleness. We begin with cheers and end with sneers. We long for love but get seized by fear.
Please pray with me the prayer of confession that is printed in your bulletin -
This day reminds us, O God, perhaps like no other,
Of the brittle nature of our faith-
So easily broken,
So readily given up.
As we encountered some of the stories that shape this day
We offer this honest confession of all we have done, and continue
to do, that pain you,
that separate us from you,
that remind us so bluntly
that we do not live as you would have us do.
And may we hear just as assuredly
In the depth of our being
Your promise of forgiveness,
The assurance of your grace
That we might not wallow in sorrow but be empowered to change.