Palm Sunday

Ah the passion of Palm Sunday - children singing and waving palm branches, choirs processing, lots of announcements about the coming Passion Week activities, and crowds of people filling once half filled pews. The start of Passion Week, the C and E crowd begin their "devout" attendance of their yearly worship.

I shouldn't be so cavalier about it ... at least they are coming.

I find it to be rather relevant actually. Christ's triumphal entry into Jerusalem, palm branches waving to herald the support of the Messiah, the King triumphant to usher in the military overthrow of the Romans. Throngs of people, some who had not followed Christ before this moment in time - just as Palm Sunday, throngs of people filling usually empty congregations.

Imagine the awe and shock of those waving the branches and screaming Hosanna's when Christ entered Jerusalem not upon the back of a great White Steed but upon a lowly donkey, the colt of a donkey no less. Jaws dropped, as did palm branches, and the crowds thinned as they all turned away from the pacifist Christ.

How many of the C and E crowd come to church filled with expectations only to be disappointed and let down? How many will turn away and never return?

Palm Sunday is usually a service that is filled with pomp and circumstance, of joy and jubilation but let us not ever forget that it is the start of Christ's final week on earth, the beginning of the suffering, and the long walk to Calvary.

Christ suffered much for us, for me, may we never forget that ... may I always remember that Palm Sunday is Passion Sunday as well.