The Sunday of the Passion: Palm Sunday-The Rev. Melanie Lemburg

Palm Sunday 2023

April 2, 2023

 

I encountered a poem last week that offers an interesting window into Palm Sunday and Holy Week, and invitation to examine our expectations and to enter into a new way of walking through these holiest days of our year.

 

It was written by  Benjamin Cremer and is untitled. Here’s how it goes.

 

 

We want the war horse.

Jesus rides a donkey.

 

We want the bird of prey.

The Holy Spirit descends as a dove.

 

We want the militia.

Jesus calls fishermen, tax collectors, women, and

children.

 

We want the courtroom.

Jesus sets a table.

 

We want the gavel.

Jesus washes feet.

 

We want to take up swords.

Jesus takes up a cross.

 

We want the empire.

Jesus brings the Kingdom of God.

 

We want the nation.

Jesus calls the church.

 

We want the roaring lion.

God comes as a slaughtered lamb.

 

We keep trying to arm God.

God keeps trying to disarm us.

 

         Your invitation this week is let yourself be open to be disarmed by God, to be open to let God shift your expectations of how God works, how God save, how God continues to act in this world.