Prepare, Process, Weep

Not a single palm frond or “Hosanna” in this year’s Palm Sunday reading. Luke’s version of Jesus’ procession toward and into Jerusalem instead records people throwing their coats on the ground. Rather than simply reaching for a fallen branch, instead those participating in Jesus’ political street theatre give something of themselves that costs them a little something; the way Pastor Megan’s spontaneously discarded cardigan resulted in a very cold experience of worship. Thank you to the child-prophets in the church who spontaneously responded by bringing their sweaters to throw into the center of our worship circle as well. We experientially learned just how potent this action was as the crowds moved with Jesus toward his confrontation with the powers of the Empire. In our current heartbreak, may we follow the footsteps of Love Incarnate--Jesus--the Human One, who goes before us in this holy and harrowing week, and who laments with us.

Luke 19.29-44 

Resources

• BibleWorm podcast: Episode 635 - What Makes For Peace, Amy Robertson and Robert Williamson, Jr
• “Kindness,” Naomi Shihab Nye, Everything Comes Next: Collected & New Poems, 222.
• credit to Eric Massanari, Executive Conference Minister of Pacific Northwest Mennonite Conference, and Amy Epp, Pastor of Evergreen Mennonite Church, for some of their words taken from letters written to their respective communities.
• More info about Mennonite Action can be found here: https://www.mennoniteaction.org/ 
• Learn more and get involved with La Resistencia here: https://laresistencianw.org/ 
• Lament hymn: Ya hamala Allah, sung in Arabic (trans: O Lamb of God, you take away the sins of the world, have mercy on us. O Lamb of God, you take away the sins of the world, have mercy on us. O Lamb of God, you take away the sins of the world, grant us your peace, grant us your peace, grant us your peace)
• Image: discarded coats in the church courtyard, Megan Ramer 
• Hymns: # 312, Jesus is Coming; music: Bret Hesla (USA) text: Bret Hesla (USA). Permission to podcast the music in this service obtained from ONE LICENSE, license #A-726929. All rights reserved.
  # 321 Ya hamala Allah; music: Yusuf Khill, Palestine/Israel text: Arabic; from Latin liturgy, "Agnus Dei" (Rome), ca. 7th c., based on John 1:29, Yusuf Khill (Palestine/Israel) Permission to podcast the music in this service obtained from ONE LICENSE, license #A-726929. All rights reserved.