Palm Sunday Message

Readings for Passion Sunday – 14 Stations of the Cross

At the beginning of Lent, I posted 14 small framed images of a lone cross with a short phrase on each depicting a station of the cross.  The stations are a way to honor and be with Jesus from the betrayal and arrest to the hill on which he was crucified and met his death.  

Even before the Roman Empire came to power, the cross was often used as a means of execution. If you saw the old movie, Spartacus, starring Kirk Douglas you may remember that he and thousands of his fellow followers in their fight for freedom were crucified in that manner. Though the crucifixion of Jesus was outside the city of Jerusalem, and not in Rome, the scene, the noises, the smells and the ugliness of humanity’s ability to harm other human beings was very evident. It is hard to imagine the scene.  Though death on a cross is very rare these days, the ugliness and evil of human violence is all too real in our culture even today.

We have not learned well from history.  

But this crucifixion, though harsh, cruel and ugly has altered the world for two thousand years and promises to do so for thousands of years in the future. At our best it has transformed our inner thoughts and outward actions to acts of love and compassion. To prayer and service to others in need.

Let us begin then this beautifully sorrowful journey of our Lord Jesus Christ.     

1. Jesus Prays Alone -  Luke 22:39-46

Then, accompanied by the disciples, Jesus left the upstairs room and went as usual to the Mount of Olives. There he told them, “Pray that you will not give in to temptation.” He walked away, about a stone’s throw, and knelt down and prayed, “Father, if you are willing, please take this cup of suffering away from me. Yet I want your will to be done, not mine.” Then an angel from heaven appeared and strengthened him. He prayed more fervently, and he was in such agony of spirit that his sweat fell to the ground like great drops of blood.  At last he stood up again and returned to the disciples, only to find them asleep, exhausted from grief. “Why are you sleeping?” he asked them. “Get up and pray, so that you will not give in to temptation.”

Alone Jesus walked in his darkness as a human being. He gathered strength in solitude and prayer. Upon returning from his prayer, he found the disciples exhausted from grief and sorrow. Grief, sorrow and anxiety drain us emotionally, spiritually and physically. And Jesus too was exhausted. But knowing the power and the necessity of solitude, prayer and listening for God, he urges them to pray so they will be strong and steady and in the words of Paul,  “be of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind” in God and God’s path.

2.  Jesus is Arrested - Luke 22:47-53 

But even as Jesus said this, a crowd approached, led by Judas, one of the twelve disciples. Judas walked over to Jesus to greet him with a kiss. But Jesus said, “Judas, would you betray the Son of Man with a kiss?”

When the other disciples saw what was about to happen, they exclaimed, “Lord, should we fight? We brought the swords!” And one of them struck at the high priest’s slave, slashing off his right ear.

But Jesus said, “No more of this.” And he touched the man’s ear and healed him.

Then Jesus spoke to the leading priests, the captains of the Temple guard, and the elders who had come for him. “Am I some dangerous revolutionary,” he asked, “that you come with swords and clubs to arrest me?  Why didn’t you arrest me in the Temple? I was there every day. But this is your moment, the time when the power of darkness reigns.”

The way of Jesus is peace. No swords, no fighting. Jesus by his actions is teaching us that violence to others is not God’s way. ‘No more of this’, Jesus proclaims. He then reaches out to heal one who was struck with a sword. He heals one who has come to arrest him.  “Being born in human form he humbled himself and became obedient to the point of death. “  When we do not live with peace in our lives “the power of darkness reigns”.

3. The Sanhedrin Tries Jesus  - Luke 22:66-71

At daybreak all the elders of the people assembled, including the leading priests and the teachers of religious law. Jesus was led before this high council and they said, “Tell us, are you the Messiah?”

But he replied, “If I tell you, you won’t believe me. And if I ask you a question, you won’t answer. But from now on the Son of Man will be seated in the place of power at God’s right hand. They all shouted, “So, are you claiming to be the Son of God?” And he replied, “You say that I am.”

“Why do we need other witnesses?” they said. “We ourselves heard him say it.”

Jesus’ life and ministry was very profound and scary to the powers that be. They called the assembly of elders together, not to understand or listen, but to rid their neighborhood of this ‘menacing’ peaceful man. They leapt at the chance to denounce him. They leapt at the chance to manipulate his words.  We will hang on to our authority and power they are saying. The Laws of Judaism, which include the 10 Commandments were great moral and spiritual laws to live, not just recite. In the years following the resurrection the church grew and Judaism began to reform. The council of elders was never the same because they could not see and embrace the changes coming. Hanging on to the status quo ultimately led to their loss of authority.

4.  Pilate Tries Jesus  - Luke 23:1-4 

Then the assembly rose as a body and brought Jesus before Pilate.  They began to accuse him, saying, “We found this man perverting our nation, forbidding us to pay taxes to the emperor, and saying that he himself is the Messiah, an anointed king.”  Then Pilate asked him, “Are you the king of the Jews?” He answered, “You say so.”  Then Pilate said to the chief priests and the crowds, “I find no basis for an accusation against this man.”

Pilate was a scared little man, afraid to exert Roman authority. Afraid to do what he thought was right. He did not listen either, he was not interested in seeking truth. He feared stepping on the toes of the Jews whom he feared and his bosses in Rome whom he also feared.  

5. Pilate Condemns Jesus to Die  - Luke 23:20-25   

Pilate, wanting to release Jesus, addressed them again; but they kept shouting, “Crucify, crucify him!”  A third time he said to them, “Why, what evil has he done? I have found in him no ground for the sentence of death; I will therefore have him flogged and then release him.”  But they kept urgently demanding with loud shouts that he should be crucified; and their voices prevailed.  So Pilate gave his verdict that their demand should be granted.  He released the man they asked for, the one who had been put in prison for insurrection and murder, and he handed Jesus over as they wished.

Still Pilate, given two chances could not come to his senses and do the right thing. For his violent and harsh actions during his rule he was relieved of his duties a few years later. Never to be heard from again. He occupied a powerful position, yet could not find the stamina to see Jesus for whom he really was – not only the Son of Man, but a man of peace and justice. Whom do we overlook as  persons of peace and justice? Do we get frightened because some speak of peace and God’s love for humanity and the earth? When someone urges us to examine the status quo do we run away or hide?

6. Jesus Wears the Crown of Thorns  - Mark 15:16-17

 The soldiers led Jesus away into the courtyard of the palace known as the governor’s headquarters, and they called together the whole company of soldiers.  They dressed him up in a purple robe and twisted together a crown of thorns and put it on him.

The soldiers mocked Jesus and tried to humiliate him. The crown placed on his head is made of thorns that wounded his head. The crown was not gold or silver.  Who among us has not scornfully placed a crown of thorns on Jesus by living shallow lives, by not loving neighbor and God and not respecting the creation in our daily lives?  As the hymn Ah , Holy Jesus states – “Alas, my treason, Jesus, has undone thee, T’was I, Lord Jesus, it was I who denied thee, I crucified thee”

7.  Jesus Carries His Cross   - John 19:17

Carrying the cross by himself, he went to the place called The Place of the Skull which in Hebrew is called Golgotha).

 Jesus carries the cross alone. It is part of the humiliation, physical, mental and spiritual humiliation that is thrust on Jesus.  Jesus has encountered his breaking point.

8. Simon Helps Carry the Cross  - Matthew 27:32

Along the way, they came across a man named Simon, who was from Cyrene, and the soldiers forced him to carry Jesus’ cross.

The writer of Matthew names a foreigner, a man from Africa who is pulled from the crowd to carry the cross. It is Matthew telling us that Christ is for the world not just a few people.

Who among us will shoulder the cross?  Who among us will cry out when we see the worst of what humanity shows us? Bound by love and caring we can carry the cross together and bring God’s Kingdom closer to our reality. The burden and joy of the cross can transform us.

9. Jesus Speaks to the Women  - Luke 23:27-31  

A huge crowd of people followed Jesus, including women, who were mourning and wailing for him.  Jesus turned to the women and said, “Daughters of Jerusalem, don’t cry for me. Rather, cry for yourselves and your children.   The time will come when they will say, ‘Happy are those who are unable to become pregnant, the wombs that never gave birth, and the breasts that never nursed a child.’   Then they will say to the mountains, ‘Fall on us,’ and to the hills, ‘Cover us.’   If they do these things when the tree is green, what will happen when it is dry?”

Do not cry for me, Jesus tells the women. Cry for your children and those yet unborn. They will live and die hard lives if not given the opportunity to live in a world that is driven by love.  Green is the color of emerging life, the vibrancy of renewal and transformation.  Jesus is a green person in that sense. He represents what is good and purposeful.  Jesus put himself out there with his messages of love to say to us –  Do no harm, do good and always stay in love with God. Pay attention, seek to live your lives in God.

10.  Jesus is Nailed to the Cross  - John 19:18; Luke 23:34

There they nailed him to the cross. Two others were crucified with him, one on either side, with Jesus between them.     Jesus said, “Father, forgive them, for they don’t know what they are doing.”

Forgive them, for they do not know what they are doing. In all that has been done to him, he asks God to forgive those soldiers and others responsible for this cruel and unjust act of crucifixion.  O God, you who live in us and in heaven … forgive us our trespasses as we forgive those who trespass against us. Imagine the enormity of that act of forgiveness.

11. Criminals Speak to Jesus  - Luke 23:39-43  

One of the criminals hanging beside him scoffed, “So you’re the Messiah, are you? Prove it by saving yourself—and us, too, while you’re at it!”

 But the other criminal protested, “Don’t you fear God even when you have been sentenced to die?  We deserve to die for our crimes, but this man hasn’t done anything wrong.”  Then he said, “Jesus, remember me when you come into your Kingdom.”

 And Jesus replied, “I assure you, today you will be with me in paradise.”

One of the criminals was thinking only of himself. Certainly it was a bad time for this guy. He was dying a very cruel death. But that selfishness is contrasted by the other man, another criminal who found his inner strength of heart, who found the goodness of humanity in an extremely challenging moment and reached out to another man of goodness. In the midst of terrible pain and hurt, Jesus returns that goodness, that hope and reaches out to another in love and forgiveness.

 How do we reach out to another in love? Jesus did not let death get in his way. What gets in our way to seek out others in need? Do we say, O not today, I am too tired, I am late, I do not want to interfere, I do not want to embarrass myself. 

12. Jesus Cares for His Mother  - John 19:25 

Standing near the cross were Jesus’ mother, and his mother’s sister, Mary (the wife of Clopas), and Mary Magdalene. When Jesus saw his mother standing there beside the disciple he loved, he said to her, “Dear woman, here is your son.” And he said to this disciple, “Here is your mother.” And from then on this disciple took her into his home.

Jesus looks to a disciple – the only one who stays to be near Christ at this cruel time. He says, take care of my mother. Take care of this person, this precious human being who brought life to the world. Each mother brings life to the world. Each father brings life to the world. Let us hold each life with reverence, with love and bring justice to all of the earth and its creatures.

I have seen the Pieta, that incredible sculpture of Michelangelo’s depicting Mary holding her son, Jesus as he is dying. Look in her eyes – there is love beyond any limits, and immense, crushing sadness in her eyes and arms, joy and honor in her face – this is my son!  she is saying with her face. She has not aged. She is young and alive. And surprised that his life has ended in such a tragic and cruel manner. Jesus looks as though he might fall off her lap, but he is there for her. He will not fall. Mary is strong and tender.

Hold another human being in your arms. A being you know or a being you do not know. Look at the pictures of young struggling faces who are facing lives of tremendous struggle. Look at the injustices in the world as you gaze at those faces – young and old and in between.

13. Jesus Dies on the Cross   - Luke 23:46-47 

Then Jesus shouted, “Father, I entrust my spirit into your hands!” And with those words he breathed his last.

 When the Roman officer overseeing the execution saw what had happened, he worshiped God and said, “Surely this man was righteous.”

The sign on the cross reads – King of the Jews. During the trials with Pilate and the Sanhedrin, Jesus is asked if he were a king.  So the sign is meant to ridicule and mock Jesus, who cruelly dies the death of a criminal. The soldiers, and in many ways all of us, when we neglect the way of Jesus in our lives, we mock Jesus, by the way we live.  Jesus turns it all upside down. He does not get angry with the crowd or the soldiers. He does not seek revenge on others. He humbles himself and puts his trust in God, “I entrust my spirit into your hands Lord”. Jesus is our Guide, Friend, Mentor and Savior. Surely this man is a man of peace and justice.    

14. Jesus is Laid in the Tomb   - Mark 15:42-47 

 Since it was late in the afternoon on Preparation Day, just before the Sabbath,  Joseph from Arimathea dared to approach Pilate and ask for Jesus’ body. (Joseph was a prominent council member who also eagerly anticipated the coming of God’s kingdom.)  Pilate wondered if Jesus was already dead. He called the centurion and asked him whether Jesus had already died.  When he learned from the centurion that Jesus was dead, Pilate gave the dead body to Joseph.  He bought a linen cloth, took Jesus down from the cross, wrapped him in the cloth, and laid him in a tomb that had been carved out of rock. He rolled a stone against the entrance to the tomb.  Mary Magdalene and Mary the mother of James saw where he was buried.

We know where Jesus is buried. We put him in the tomb just as much as Pilate and the others did. The Pharisees and the Sadducees were good at reciting the laws of God. Not so good at living them. Like us? We recite scripture often and well. How well do we live the words of love and compassion?  The prophets of old call to us. Jesus calls to us.