Palm Sunday
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Almighty and everliving God, in your tender love for the human race you sent your Son our Savior Jesus Christ to take upon him our nature, and to suffer death upon the cross, giving us the example of his great humility: Mercifully grant that we may walk in the way of his suffering, and also share in his resurrection; through Jesus Christ our Lord, who lives and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, for ever and ever. Amen.
-the collect for Palm Sunday
Some of the people at St. James may still remember when the Sunday preceding Holy Week was just called Palm Sunday. We often still call it Palm Sunday, but now the official church name for this Sunday is actually “The Sunday of the Passion.” It used to be that the readings of the day focused completely on Jesus’ triumphal entry into Jerusalem, with people cheering and laying palms on the road. Then, as Holy Week unfolded, the liturgies of Tennebrae, Maundy Thursday and Good Friday expressed the depths of the crucifixion before Easter was celebrated with lilies and brass and Jesus’ triumphal victory over death.
But in the second half of the 20th century, church leaders realized there was a problem. Most parishioners were not attending midweek Holy Week services anymore, and therefore they went from triumph to triumph on Palm Sunday and Easter Sunday, with the last supper and crucifixion left unmentioned. So in the midst of a period of liturgical reform, the liturgy of the palms was shortened considerably, and the service of the passion was added to it. During the service of the passion, we read the entire passion story from one of the gospels. That way, even if people do not go to the Holy Week services, they are reminded that suffering and death actually occurred between the cheers on Palm Sunday and the resurrection on Easter Sunday.
It solved one problem, but it leaves us with kind of a split personality on Palm Sunday. The service begins with a parade and upbeat music. Then it abruptly turns very somber. Sometimes it’s hard to know how to handle this as a preacher, especially when the sermons during Holy Week will also address the passion.
So last year I finally decided to preach a short homily during the service of the palms, right at the beginning of the service, and then to let the Passion story stand on its own without commentary later in the service. Because I won’t be addressing the events of the passion directly, I hope that many of you will also attend our services on MaundyThursday and Good Friday, which will more deeply explore the depths of Holy Week.
So wear your warm clothes, and bring an umbrella just in case. We’ll be starting outside this Sunday with the service of the Palms and our Central Square parade!
