Phillipians 2: 1-2.5 and Matthew 21: 1-11

Week of April 10, 2011

Rev. Marguerite Sheehan

Scripture: Philippians 2:1-11 and Matthew 21: 1-11

Focusing Scriptures

Phillipians 2: 1-2.5

If then there is an encouragement in Christ, any consolation from love, any sharing in the Spirit, any compassion and sympathy, make my joy complete: be of the same mind, having the same love, being in full accord and of one mind….Let the same mind be in you that was in Christ Jesus.

Matthew 21: 5, 9

“Tell the daughter of Zion, look your King is coming to you, humble and mounted on a donkey….” The crowds that went ahead of him and that followed were shouting, Hosanna to the Son of David! Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the LORD! Hosanna in the highest heaven.

Meditation:

This week we raise our voices in Hosanna, and begin the long, slow and inevitable walk to Golgotha. Those of us who join together in religious communities do not walk this path alone even as we are, at this point in the story, at our most low and lonely moment. We are helplessly watching by the side of the road as everyone, including us, wave our palms and weep. And so I ask, where do we find our encouragement, our consolation, our sharing of compassion in our own few days on earth? Paul points the Philippians to the example of the humble, earthy life of Jesus. He teaches that we are to be united and in full accord with the mind of the King who humbled himself to mount a donkey or two. We are to follow Jesus even if we know that we will look foolish (especially if we look foolish!)

We have encouraging models around the world this spring as we walk through the season of Lent and into the hope of Easter. First in Egypt and now across the Arabian Peninsula we have models of people standing out against tyranny, foolishly facing the Empires and demanding that the people be heard. Hosanna! Perhaps they are not standing in full accord and of one mind, but they are standing brave and tall against all obstacles so that freedom might reign.

Today in our Gospel we hear an echo of a more ancient Scripture, calling forth blessings for those who of us who come, waving our palms in the name of the LORD. And in that word “blessed” I am reminded of one of the most central teachings of Jesus, in which he showed his mind and asks us to come inside. Jesus is on the road to death and in his resurrection we will be left with his mind and his spirit. Listen to his teaching about who will be blessed and find there a clue as to how we, those left behind, may find encouragement, consolation, and love.

Blessed be the poor in spirit, blessed be those who mourn and those who are meek, those who hunger and thirst for righteousness, those who are merciful, pure in heart, those who are peacemakers and those who are persecuted.

The Greek word makarios is often used in the Beatitudes to mean “blessed.” Makarios is a passive and yet hopeful teaching that someday the disinherited will see God. The Aramaic words for blessed have an entirely different meaning and today, on Palm and Passion Sunday, they speaks volumes. Ashrie and tovahoun mean “awake” or “get up.” Awake you poor in spirit. Get up you who mourn. Awake you who hunger and thirst for all things righteousness. Awake you who are meek. Get up you who are persecuted. May the merciful get up and make peace.

Jesus rides into Jerusalem on a donkey, cuing the people that something is changing. The Empire is about to be turned on its head. It will not happen the way they expect just as once we start waking up, our own liberation will shock us and shock the world. To be of the mind of Christ Jesus is to humbly accept the blessing of waking up, no matter the cost.

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