The Revolutionary Message of Palm Sunday

The texts that Christians typically read on Palm Sunday have become so familiar that we probably don't sense their revolutionary power. But no first-century Jew would have missed the excitement and danger implicit in the coded language of the accounts describing Jesus' entry into Jerusalem just a few days before his death. In Mark's Gospel we hear that Jesus and his disciples "drew near to Jerusalem, to Bethphage and Bethany on the Mount of Olives." A bit of trivial geographical detail, we might be tempted to conclude. But about five hundred years before Jesus' time, the prophet Ezekiel had relayed a vision of the "Shekinah" (the glory) of Yahweh leaving the temple, due to its corruption. However, Ezekiel also prophesied that one day the glory of God would return to the temple, and precisely from the same direction in which it had left: from the east (Ez. 43: 1-2). As the people saw Jesus approaching Jerusalem from the east, they would have remembered Ezekiel's vision and would have begun to entertain the wild but thrilling idea that perhaps this Jesus was, in person, the glory of Yahweh returning to his dwelling place on earth. He was the new and definitive temple, the meeting-place of heaven and earth.

http://www.lentreflections.com/the-revolutionary-message-of-palm-sunday/

Not the entire homily. I’ll look for the whole thing. If you can’t click in the above link please let me know. You might google Father Barron or Wordsonfire.

Although I have just posted this on another thread, I really should have posted it here. So here it is...

As I sat in church this morning I thought the message would be about Palm Sunday so I went to Luke to read about His trip to Jerusalem. The last thing He said (in Luke 19:27) before climbing the hill to enter the city was “But these enemies of mine, who did not want me to reign over them, bring them here and slay them in my presence.” (it was the conclusion of the talent parable) My first thought was why are we not afraid of Jesus? Has the church been overcompensating for the righteous judgment of God the Father that we are afraid to teach that it is Jesus who will be sending those who reject Him to hell? Teaching the Word with the Father and Son as one is the issue. On a side note, today was the first day I heard a pastor say that Jesus returns as a Warrior King. Oohrah. No liberal rules of engagement from Him! Worthy is the Lamb that was slain to receive power and riches and wisdom and might and honor and glory and blessing! So Be It.

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