Vicar Karla Leitzman
I have noticed a sort of interesting thing about myself in the way that I look at biblical texts. And that is, I have realized, that I sort of group all ancient times together. Biblical times are biblical times. Inadvertently, my brain just puts all ancient times into one category, which is honestly wild. Like, oh that all happened thousands of years ago, it’s all ancient biblical times and I’ll just tie that bow around it and move along. There are so many thousands of years of difference throughout the bible, especially when looking at both the Old and New Testaments.
And this realization hit me particularly significantly as I thought about the prominent role the celebration of Passover plays in this whole story. Passover was, is still, at its heart, a celebration of liberation. As Jesus is riding into Jerusalem, devout Jews are preparing to commemorate a time when God freed them. Year after year, they came together, to celebrate God’s deliverance from the powerful and violent oppression from Egypt- from an oppressive super power. The Israelites were exploited by the powers of Egypt, who viewed them as expendable. And here they are now as they watch Jesus ride into Jerusalem, not atop a war horse but atop a lowly donkey, once again in the midst of being oppressed once again by another super power that views them as expendable, this time the Roman Empire. As they gathered together, laying down their cloaks in a showing of reverence of the king they wanted to deliver them, they wanted bold deliverance again. Every year they came together in their shared longing for that deliverance. But during this year, with the entrance of Jesus, they could practically taste the freedom and the liberation.
And I think there’s a few things to note to reflect on this. They wanted something violent and vengeful and yet Jesus brings a humble arrival, a different kind of deliverance. They also used their past to give them strength and fortification for their present. Today, as gather for worship and we note the stark similarities to our current world to the time when the Roman Empire was in power, we take fortification from knowing that God has been here before. Just as the Israelites of Jesus’ day took fortification in knowing that God had been there before.
The waving of the palms and the shouting of Hosanna signify that those gathered wanted, not just wanted, but yearned for, Jesus to act as their liberator. Jesus knew what the world wanted, what the world advocated for, and he brought something much different, much kinder, much softer. He could have brought what they wanted, but he knew he was directed to bring something else. And the same remains true today.
I close with a Palm Sunday blessing from a favorite theologian, Cole Arthur Riley:
“There is miracle in belonging to a God who rejects the image of a glorified hero and instead comes to us on a donkey, centering the plight of those who suffer. Liberation begins with this: do not be afraid.
God of the Palms, thank you for drawing near to us. Thank you for showing us a different way: a God who rejects privilege, a God who is unbothered by sitting on a donkey if it means you are drawing near to us. As we wait, take away the fear that has settled on our souls. Help us to trust in the arrival of goodness even in the wake of suffering. Let this Palm Sunday speak the language of welcome, that we would never turn hope away when it appears to us.
Do not be afraid. Liberation is coming.” Amen