Sunday, April 9, 2006

Palm Sunday

Synopsis of the Armenian Message

Mathew 21:1-9

The Parade to the Cross

Imagine yourself in a parade. Parades are common in the USA. People always find a reason to organize them. Labor unions, students, and many others, who share a common ideology, often go to the streets to express anger, protest, or joy.

When I was in high school in the Middle East, sometimes I had to participate in political parades. No one asked our opinion whether we wanted to do it or not. We just had to! We were given political banners and, whether we agreed with them or not, we had to carry them, walk down the streets and recite certain slogans! Although we didn’t like this, but there was a good side to it: we would not be in school that day! Typical students!

Today is Palm Sunday: it is parade day. Christians want to participate in the parade of Jesus to Jerusalem.

What is your role in the parade? Are you a spectator, a participant who is shouting with joy? Are you the owner of the donkey? Are you puzzled like the Disciples? Perhaps you want to be in the parade but you can not. Where are you in the parade?

This parade is not the one I participated in my high school years. Those were fake parades; they were enforced upon us. This is a different parade. This parade brings change. If you participate, it will bring change into your life, too. Jesus, the King, enters Jerusalem on a donkey. It is a parade with no end. It will go on into next week, the Holy Week, and throughout all our life.

“The hour has come…” (John 12:23), said Jesus. Where are you in this parade?

1 Are you a spectator?

I have not figured out why there will be more people in all churches on Palm Sunday. Hundreds of thousands of people visit St. Peter’s Cathedral in Italy every year. They invest a lot of time and money to plan and get there. They stand in line for hours waiting to get inside. But who likes to live a life like Peter?

Many came to Jerusalem. Many were there at the “parade.” They could even have shouted “Hosanna, Hosanna, save us now.” But they were only spectators. Unfortunately we have more spectators in the churches than participants.

.

To be continued in English.