This Sunday: March 29 Palm/Passion Sunday

This Sunday - March 29th

Palm/Passion Sunday

Liturgy of the PalmsPsalm 118:1-2, 19-29 ~ Matthew 21:1-11Read online

Passion LiturgyIsaiah 50:4-9a ~ Psalm 31:9-16 ~ Philippians 2:5-11 ~ Matthew 26:14-27:66Read online

This Sunday is traditionally known as Palm Sunday because we read the story of Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem as the crowd waves Palm branches a week before his crucifixion and death.   In the last 30 years it has also become known as Passion Sunday because we go on to read the whole story of Jesus’ passion and death.  There is quite the dichotomy between the two.  On Palm Sunday, the crowd cries “Hosanna to the Son of David; Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord; Hosanna in the highest!” (Matthew 21:9).  On Passion Sunday the crowd is crying “Crucify him!” (Matthew 27:22-23).  What a fickle crowd.  The Gospel writer, identifying both groups as “the crowd” is meant to suggest the roughly same group of people.  We can’t simply dismiss it as different crowds.

Hosanna is a Hebrew word that is an imperative, “Save us now!”  Incidentally, if the phrase that the crowd says sounds familiar, we sing it every Sunday as part of the Holy, Holy, Holy during communion.  Listen for it.  Their cry for Jesus to save them and their calling him the Son of David is high praise and a lofty statement about their belief in what Jesus could do.  It also makes the swing to “crucify him” a week later very dramatic.  

Reading these two crowd cries during a single worship invites us to contemplate how we might be in both crowds.  Are there times when you are singing Jesus’ praise?  Are there other times when you are grumbling or your actions undermine Jesus’ mission?  Reflecting on these questions is not meant to cast judgement, but honest reflection.  Remember that after the crowd has said all it’s going to say and fallen silent, Jesus says “Father forgive them” (Luke 23:34).  

After reading the scriptures for this day, discuss the following questions with someone else:

1. Share a time when you were very excited about God; what was that like and what was going on in your life?

2. Share a time when you were disappointed or angry at God.

3. How might reflecting on those experiences help you respond to other people?