Palm Gospel: Mark 11.1-10;
Mass readings: Isaiah 50.4-7; Philippians 2.6-11 and Mark 14.1-15.47
“Who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped.” Philippians 2.6
In the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Today has several readings, including the long reading of St. Mark’s Passion Narrative. They each need space to be read and heard, so todays homily comes at this earlier place in the liturgy and I will endeavour not to add too many more words.
I’ve read an newspaper article and a blogpost this week that shared the same theme and they have set the theme for my homily this Palm Sunday.
Firstly the blogpost by a 30-something pastor. It was the title that grabbed my attention: “Make the Church weird again.”
And then a couple of days later, I read an opinion piece in the Guardian, discussing the decline of Christianity in the UK, especially amongst young people.
The author had some interesting things to say:
“Rather than being just a slightly rubbish version of the world, maybe the church needs to embrace its weirdness.” (unpack a bit)
Also,
“Young people rejecting religion is not bad news for Christianity:
the faith needs to embrace its weirdness and mystery.”
Maybe you don’t think Church and the Christian faith is weird, but to many people it is! But, weirdness, strangeness, otherness and mystery are NOT things to be avoided. But, entered into, be explored, given time and even some serious thought. They are not virtues in themselves but when part of the authentic witness and worship of the Church, combined with truth, beauty, love and invitation they can be powerful.
Even our language this week is strange to many. When most folk hear talk about passion, they probably don’t think about suffering! Yet that is the root meaning of the Church’s use of Passion - though this week is also a wonderful act of love.
We rightly believe “Fides querens intellectum” “Faith seeking understanding” (Anselm) but it begins with faith, with a simple trust and a willingness to follow Jesus.
And Holy Week is all about following Jesus. In his last week, we go from entering Jerusalem, to the Last Supper, his arrest and trial, his crucifixion and death before we reach that first Easter morning.
The events of this week can be difficult, emotional, certainly strange, violent and tragic - and yet through it all - God is at work! Bringing salvation, bringing healing to humanity and the whole creation.
The Eastern Orthodox Troparion for ‘The Sunday of the Palms’ says:
O Christ our God, thou didst before thy very Passion confirm the truth of the general Resurrection, by raising Lazarus from the dead. Wherefore we also, like children bearing the symbols of triumph, cry out unto thee, the vanquisher of death: Hosanna in the highest. Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord.
(Pause)
I don’t know how your Lent has been? Mine has been variable.
However good, or not, it has been so far. Let us now take a step back, refocus, and enter the great mystery of our salvation by walking with Jesus through this Holy and Great Week.
Come to church - each day if you can - but especially over the Triduum, 3 days and 3 main services but really one extended liturgy taking us through Maundy Thursday; Good Friday and Holy Saturday.
Enter the strangeness of these events, embrace the weirdness and mystery of our worship and walk with Jesus trusting that God is also with you.
Let us journey with Jesus, who is (in the words of Philippians) the form (morphes) of God, or as Colossians has it, the image (eikon) of the invisible God.
May we journey this Palm Sunday and throughout this week, from Our Lord’s entry into Jerusalem and from there to the foot of the cross and beyond.
That we might see and know and say with the Centurion: “Truly, this man is the Son of God”
Amen.
Mass readings: Isaiah 50.4-7; Philippians 2.6-11 and Mark 14.1-15.47
“Who, though he was in the form of God, did not count equality with God a thing to be grasped.” Philippians 2.6
In the name of the Father, the Son and the Holy Spirit. Amen.
Today has several readings, including the long reading of St. Mark’s Passion Narrative. They each need space to be read and heard, so todays homily comes at this earlier place in the liturgy and I will endeavour not to add too many more words.
I’ve read an newspaper article and a blogpost this week that shared the same theme and they have set the theme for my homily this Palm Sunday.
Firstly the blogpost by a 30-something pastor. It was the title that grabbed my attention: “Make the Church weird again.”
And then a couple of days later, I read an opinion piece in the Guardian, discussing the decline of Christianity in the UK, especially amongst young people.
The author had some interesting things to say:
“Rather than being just a slightly rubbish version of the world, maybe the church needs to embrace its weirdness.” (unpack a bit)
Also,
“Young people rejecting religion is not bad news for Christianity:
the faith needs to embrace its weirdness and mystery.”
Maybe you don’t think Church and the Christian faith is weird, but to many people it is! But, weirdness, strangeness, otherness and mystery are NOT things to be avoided. But, entered into, be explored, given time and even some serious thought. They are not virtues in themselves but when part of the authentic witness and worship of the Church, combined with truth, beauty, love and invitation they can be powerful.
Even our language this week is strange to many. When most folk hear talk about passion, they probably don’t think about suffering! Yet that is the root meaning of the Church’s use of Passion - though this week is also a wonderful act of love.
We rightly believe “Fides querens intellectum” “Faith seeking understanding” (Anselm) but it begins with faith, with a simple trust and a willingness to follow Jesus.
And Holy Week is all about following Jesus. In his last week, we go from entering Jerusalem, to the Last Supper, his arrest and trial, his crucifixion and death before we reach that first Easter morning.
The events of this week can be difficult, emotional, certainly strange, violent and tragic - and yet through it all - God is at work! Bringing salvation, bringing healing to humanity and the whole creation.
The Eastern Orthodox Troparion for ‘The Sunday of the Palms’ says:
O Christ our God, thou didst before thy very Passion confirm the truth of the general Resurrection, by raising Lazarus from the dead. Wherefore we also, like children bearing the symbols of triumph, cry out unto thee, the vanquisher of death: Hosanna in the highest. Blessed is he that cometh in the name of the Lord.
(Pause)
I don’t know how your Lent has been? Mine has been variable.
However good, or not, it has been so far. Let us now take a step back, refocus, and enter the great mystery of our salvation by walking with Jesus through this Holy and Great Week.
Come to church - each day if you can - but especially over the Triduum, 3 days and 3 main services but really one extended liturgy taking us through Maundy Thursday; Good Friday and Holy Saturday.
Enter the strangeness of these events, embrace the weirdness and mystery of our worship and walk with Jesus trusting that God is also with you.
Let us journey with Jesus, who is (in the words of Philippians) the form (morphes) of God, or as Colossians has it, the image (eikon) of the invisible God.
May we journey this Palm Sunday and throughout this week, from Our Lord’s entry into Jerusalem and from there to the foot of the cross and beyond.
That we might see and know and say with the Centurion: “Truly, this man is the Son of God”
Amen.
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