Palm Sunday seems to be a great time of transition and change. I know of at least two churches that started their services at one location only to process to a new worship space. Last year, the church I worshipped at in Minneapolis started at the old and walked a mile to the new. Ten years ago, the people of Bethel left the old location downtown and drove out to the church we’re sitting in right now. I don’t know who was part of Bethel’s procession. But I do know that such transitions are significant. From my own experience and from what I’ve heard from some of you, switching worship spaces is both a high and a low. On the one hand, you have the grief and loss that comes with leaving the familiar behind. On the other hand, you have the excitement and hope of the unknown future.
The texts today provide space for both the hope and the grief that accompanies numerous transitions in life. The reality is that life is incomplete without some ups or downs. We each can remember the good times and the bad. We often know the good because we also know the bad.
Today is the Sunday we remember both the triumphant procession of palms and the trials and death of the passion narrative.
Today we remember both the high and the low.
Lately that has seemed to be a common theme. The balance of the universe, perhaps. Because it always seem as though the good and the bad walk hand in hand. And there is some truth in the fact that we need both.
I know that this can sound cliché or corny. But I firmly believe that we do need both sides.
This picture was taken at a summer camp. This was one of my favorite places with its lack of trees and water. Only the large sky and miles of hills and grass as far as the eye can see. This particular picture was taken of the sunrise at roughly 5 in the morning. It was amazing to watch the sky lighten and take on more colors while waiting for the sun to peek over the horizon. It was truly one of the most beautiful sights I have ever seen. And I could not help but praise God for such beauty.
But as I look at this picture, I am also struck by how the cross is also beautiful.
And the cross should not exactly be the most beautiful. For those in Jesus’ time, the cross was the worst form of torture and execution. The cross was horrifying. It was far from beautiful.
But we look at it and see beyond the horrendous pain and death of crucifixion. We see the love and sacrifice that is able to make the cross beautiful. We see how God was able to transform the bad into good.
Throughout the entire season of Lent, I wondered about why we need our own crosses. Why we must be tried. Why we must suffer.
I can think back to a sermon where Pastor Mark reminded us that we get sent through fire in order to be purified and strengthened. That the purification process, no matter how much it may hurt, will bring good from bad.
Then I read this text and was given some more insight.
I have always loved the story of how one criminal was able to see the truth about Jesus. How he was able to look beyond the fact that Jesus was dying as a criminal and could see that Jesus was something more. And I love how he is audacious enough to ask Jesus to remember him. When I read this text, I think of the Taize chant, “Jesus, remember me, when you come into your kingdom…” Such a beautiful plea.
And I love Jesus’ response. “Today you will be in paradise with me.” Such a beautiful promise.
But this past week I began to realize something else. It hit me that the down side of being in Paradise with Jesus is that death comes first. The promise of good does not involve avoiding the experience of bad.
Jesus did not flee from Jerusalem. He did not avoid the city that was known for killing prophets. He did not avoid the place where the religious leaders were threatened by his teaching.
Jesus processed in glory and triumph, surrounded by large crowds singing hosanna and waving palms.
Nor Jesus did fight to stay alive. He did not flee from the soldiers who arrested him. He did not lie to get out of the trials.
Jesus embraced the will of God and died on the cross.
Because avoiding the pain and death would do nothing. In order to triumph over death, Jesus had to die. There cannot be a resurrection from the dead without dying first. You cannot enter paradise until you have left this earth.
When I think about how such a good can come through the bad, I can only do one thing: Praise God.
I cannot help but praise the God who was able to embrace and overcome death. I cannot help but praise the God who was able to transform the horror of the cross into a symbol of love and beauty. I cannot help but pray to God and ask that God will remember me and hope that the promise of paradise is also for me.
In the midst of trials today, I cling to the promise that this world is not the end, and pray that Jesus will remember me when he comes into his kingdom.
Thanks be to God. Amen.
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