Holy Week 2007-
Introduction
Holy Week never fails to capture me. As a Moravian I have walked with Jesus through this week for over 35 years using our traditional Readings for Holy Week services of word and hymns. It follows a harmony of the Gospels where the four different narratives are brought together in a single story. While it may not be academically correct, it works. We stand and walk, watch and wait with Jesus and the others as the events unfold day after day. Even now, though I can’t get to the services, I take time during the week to follow the story again.

This becomes my final preparation for Easter and a reminder of what Easter is all about. For whether in the early church, medieval “Dark Ages”, Modern or postModern world, this is the week. Without it, the rest wouldn’t make any sense.

Palm Sunday
(Based on thoughts from Marcus Borg and John Dominic Crossan in the book, The Last Week.)

There are actually two parades that happen on Palm Sunday. We only pay attention to the one with Jesus. We really don’t think about the other one. It is happening at another gate of the city. It is much more formal and far more threatening than the donkey and palm branch one we are familiar with.

Passover is coming and there are going to be uncounted crowds in the city. It is a dangerous time. Riots and political wrangling will always be possible. The Roman government doesn’t need that. This is a system of domination of one people by another; control of the many by the few.

Surprisingly to us in the “democratic western civilization” the domination system is the most common in the history of the world. It may even be considered the historic norm of human life. The domination system is managed and maintained by force. And the center of the force is the military in such systems.

So while Jesus was entering the Golden Gate, proclaiming his Kingship and the Kingdom of God at hand, the troops were entering another gate. They were marching in full force, showing the many how the rulers do things. Fear, intimidation, power. That was the key.

What a contrast to the humility of Jesus entry. Yet Jesus’ parade was no less powerful, although no one would have realized it at the time. His was a protest to the system in place; street theater, if you will, showing the contrast between the Kingdom of Men and the Kingdom of God. Support, care, humility, hope. That was Jesus’ key.

When will we ever learn?