As Jesus enters Jerusalem in the humble parade, without the trappings of a usual royal or Roman procession, the “whole multitude of disciples began to praise God joyfully with a loud voice for all the deeds of power they had seen, saying ‘Blessed is the king who comes in the name of the Lord! Peace in heaven and glory in the highest heaven!'” (Luke 19:37-38).
The people have seen what God is doing in Christ. How the reign of God is being ushered in, a way of life led by love, a peace that comes through serving (not through military victory like the Pax Romana).
The Pharisees, like everyone else who sees what Jesus is doing on the way into Jerusalem, know that trouble lies ahead for Jesus, and they try and get Jesus to have the people stop shouting about how Christ is King.
Jesus responds, “I tell you, if these were silent, the stones would shout out,” (Luke 19:40). Because the stones, and all of creation, have seen what God is doing in Christ, how God’s reign of love, peace, mercy, and forgiveness is near, they, like all the followers of Jesus, cannot keep from shouting praises to God.
We heard and participated in this story on Sunday as we processed with palms and laid down our garments like the crowd did 2000 years ago. And, by the way, thanks to your generosity in laying down clothes to donate, we delivered over 250 mens clothing items to the United Methodist Men’s Cothing Closet and Mobile Loaves and Fishes where they are going to clothe men experiencing homelessness.
On Sunday we joined the procession and raised our own shouts of praise.
On Monday, the world watched as the Cathedral of Notre Dame burned.
For me and for so many, the stones of Notre Dame have been a place of prayer, a place where the holy presence of God has been experienced, the stones have shouted praise to God because they have seen what God has done and is doing. They have heard the praises, laments, and prayers of hundreds of millions.
As the fire raged, Parisians and visitors to the city watched and sang, because when stones must take a break from their shouts of praises, we, too, who have seen what God has done and is doing raise our songs of praise (see the video).
It is moments like this that remind us the church is not buildings, but people. As the hymn, Built on the Rock by Grundvig, puts it, “Built on the Rock, the church shall stand even as steeples are falling.” And while we are rightly saddened by the fire at Notre Dame de Paris and the fires that ravaged three Louisiana churches last week, we know that the church stands strong, that there is hope, and that all creation has seen and will see what God has done and is doing – bringing something from nothing, hope in the midst of hopelessness, and life from death.
Come and experience the new commandment of Jesus to love one another as he has loved us Thursday at 7 pm.
Come and worship and pray around the cross and see the depth of God’s love for you and for the whole world that takes on all sin and suffering and offers forgiveness this Friday at 7 pm.
Come and shout, “Alleluia!” and see God making all things new and bringing life from death this Sunday at 10 am.
(come early for breakfast at 8:30, stay late for an egg hunt after worship).
God’s grace and love for you name you beloved, remind you that you are enough, and bring you into new life.
Pastor Drew