Today, Palm Sunday, is probably one of the most spiritually wrenching liturgies of the church year. Today we enter into the Passion Narrative, and go with Jesus from his triumphal entry into Jerusalem to his tomb outside the city walls.
The Passion Narrative speaks for itself, and so today in the place of a sermon, we will remain in silence after the reading is complete.
And during this time, I ask you to ponder the great outpourings of love that stream through this story.
A woman, breaking open an alabaster jar and pouring out nard that would have cost a year’s wages on Jesus’ head, anointing him not only with nard, but with the most precious thing she had to offer, her love. Jesus said that she anointed him for his burial. We know that this was also his anointing as prophet, priest and king. This woman knew that Jesus was the Messiah, the anointed one, and so she anointed him with all that she had.
Jesus, gathered around the table with his disciples, pouring out his love for them as he shares bread and wine, his body and blood. “This is my blood of the covenant, which is poured out for many.”
The Garden of Gethesmane, where Jesus pours out his grief and distress in an agonizing prayer to God. “Abba, Father, for you all things are possible; remove this cup from me; yet, not what I want, but what you want.” The pouring out of a son’s love for his father, knowing that his father will hear.
Then the great outpouring cry of agony from the cross, “My God, my God, why have you forsaken me?” followed by the most powerful outpouring of love that the world has ever known or will ever know as Jesus gives a loud cry and breathes his last.
The centurion felt this outpouring of love from the cross wash over him and then he knew.
“Truly this man was God’s Son.”
God’s love, poured out for all, poured out for you.
How will you respond?