A Prayer for Ukraine
God of peace and justice,
we pray for the people of Ukraine today.
We pray for peace and the laying down of weapons.
We pray for all those who fear for tomorrow,
that your Spirit of comfort would draw near to them.
We pray for those with power over war or peace,
for wisdom, discernment and compassion to guide their decisions.
Above all, we pray for all your precious children, at risk and in fear,
that you would hold and protect them.
We pray in the name of Jesus, the Prince of Peace.
Amen
Archbishop Justin Welby – Archbishop Stephen Cottrell
Luke 19:28-40
28After Jesus had said this, he went on ahead, going up to Jerusalem.
29When he had come near Bethphage and Bethany, at the place called the Mount of Olives, he sent two of the disciples, 30saying, "Go into the village ahead of you, and as you enter it you will find tied there a colt [Matthew and John: "donkey"] that has never been ridden. Untie it and bring it here. 31If anyone asks you, 'Why are you untying it?' just say this, 'The Lord needs it.'" 32So those who were sent departed and found it as he had told them. 33As they were untying the colt, its owners asked them, "Why are you untying the colt?" 34They said, "The Lord needs it." 35Then they brought it to Jesus; and after throwing their cloaks on the colt, they set Jesus on it.
36As he rode along, people kept spreading their cloaks on the road. 37As he was now approaching the path down from the Mount of Olives, the whole multitude of the disciples began to praise God joyfully with a loud voice for all the deeds of power that they had seen, 38saying,
"Blessed is the king who comes in the name of the Lord!
Peace in heaven, and glory in the highest heaven!"
39Some of the Pharisees in the crowd said to him, "Teacher, order your disciples to stop." 40Jesus answered, "I tell you, if these were silent, the stones would shout out."
Palm Sunday
The sixth Sunday in Lent is Palm Sunday with Jesus' triumphant entry into Jerusalem, the center of religion, of commerce, of imperial Roman colonial rule. Jerusalem, the location of the Temple, the destination of Jesus' trial, conviction, crucifixion, death—and resurrection. In Luke's gospel, Jesus' journey to Jerusalem and the cross is especially incessant; Luke reveals more opposition to Jesus' mission and ministry than the other gospels. Luke presents Jesus on the side of poor, overlooked, and marginalized. From Mary's Magnificat, to John the Baptist by the riverside, and onto Jesus' own preaching, teaching, and acting, Luke's Jesus is strongly prophetic.
This is one of the events in Jesus ministry recorded in all four gospels:
• Mark 11:1-11
• Matthew 21:1-11
• John 12:12-19
We expect hosannas and palm branches on this sixth Sunday in Lent, but read Luke's account again—no palms and not a single hosanna! Just as we interpret scripture (and everything else) for our own context, so did Luke the gentile writing mostly to gentiles. His original readers wouldn't have had much interest or understanding of leafy branches that evoked Succoth / Sukkot booths to represent the minimal yet sufficient shelter of God's provision during the Exodus.
Because fewer and fewer people attend Holy Week services, for the past few decades many churches have celebrated Palm/Passion Sunday, moving too swiftly from Jesus' palms- and praise-surrounded triumphal entry to the walk with the cross, on to the actual place of crucifixion.
Donkeys in the Bible
Many many of Jesus' actions were upside-down versions of what conventional political, religious, and economic authorities – "the establishment" – did. At first it may feel as if Jesus' entering the geographical center of power on a humble donkey subverted the return of the victorious general on a galloping steed. However, there also was a tradition of a military victor riding a donkey in order to present himself as servant of the common people.
Jesus riding a donkey echoes Zechariah 9:9 that some scholars consider a Messianic prediction. Matthew and John both quote Zechariah; Luke almost definitely remembered it.
Other donkeys in the bible? Balaam's talking donkey in Numbers 22:15-35. Joseph's donkey who carried Jesus' pregnant mother Mary into Bethlehem in Luke 2:1-5, and probably into Egypt, as well. Donkeys illustrate the servant God's call for us to live as servant people and as a servant creation.
Some Rocks in Scripture
If Jesus' disciples were silent, stones would shout praises! Rocks would cry out! Luke 19:40
Genesis 28 – Genesis 31: At the place he names Bethel, House of God, Jacob first uses a stone as a pillow for his head and then as a pillar of witness.
The Ten Words or Commandments of the Sinai Covenant engraved in stone
Joshua 24:26-27 Covenant renewal at Shechem and the stone that witnessed the people's resolve to serve YHWH "This stone has heard all the words the Lord has said to us and will be a witness!"
1 Samuel 7:12 Ebenezer, "Stone of Help"
Ezekiel 36:26 Hearts of stone changed into hearts of flesh
Psalm 118:22 From the responsive psalm for today probably is the original "the stone builders rejected has become the cornerstone." Mark 12:10-11 Matthew 21:42 1 Peter 2:7 Compare Isaiah 28:16, "A trustworthy foundation stone or cornerstone in Zion."
1 Peter 2:5 We are living stones being built by God into a temple in order to be holy.
Matthew 4:3 and Luke 4:3 Tempting Jesus to turn stones into bread
Stone at Jesus' tomb (and at Lazarus' grave)
St. Francis of Assisi slept on rocks in order to be close to creation and close to Jesus, our rock of faith.
Palm-Passion Sunday into Easter
"If my disciples were silent, the stones would shout praises!" Luke 19:40
Jesus death and resurrection overthrows the death-dealing, established "powers that be" to liberate the entire cosmos from slavery to sin and death. We still spend much of our time downwind, but the day of the fully accomplished New Creation will happen.
Recent science knows and tells us rocks and stones sing; in fact, "All Creation Sings," per the title of the hymnal. Like the morning stars who sang at the dawn of creation. Like Isaiah's trees that clap their hands because… no more clear-cutting! And Isaiah's seas rejoicing because there's no more pollution!
What other examples from scripture and from your own experience can you describe?
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