My growing up years didn't include Palm Sunday….I have very little if any
recollection of it. My family attended worship mostly for the "Big
Events" – Christmas and Easter – with a sprinkle of worship in between and
Bible School in the summer. I do remember new clothes, white shoes, and a
hat for Easter worship as a little girl and the songs "Easter Parade" and
"Here Comes Peter Cottontail". We would color eggs, buy an Easter lily,
take pictures in our new clothes, and get ready to hide our Easter basket
in hopes for some chocolate eggs and special treats from the Easter bunny.
Easter was simply fun and the entrance of Spring. It was my mother's
holiday to host for her side of the family.
As a teen I began attending a Baptist church and didn't hear much about
Palm Sunday there either. In fact they just skipped right to Easter at
the appropriate date. It was Salem that taught me about Palm Sunday and
Holy Week.
Somewhere in the last 30 plus years we began calling it Passion Sunday as
well as Palm Sunday…indicating there was more going on than a grand
procession as Jesus rode the streets of Jerusalem. We began to use the
full Passion Narrative, the gospel stories of Jesus in the garden, Jesus
being arrested and beaten, Jesus before Pilate, Jesus on the cross. We
began to move from the hoopla of a parade into the despair of betrayal and
death before the service was over.
Maybe this came partly from practicality; many people find Maundy Thursday
and Good Friday worship too depressing – they want to skip right to the
Good News of Easter – maybe we thought we needed to remind them Jesus had
to die before he could rise. But maybe we're just being more truthful
these days. Our salvation came at a great price. This really did happen.
One died for all….a bitter death; a gruesome death.
And you know what? Moving through Holy Week to me now feels like an
annual revival. I love it. I embrace it. I wouldn't miss it. Walking
with Jesus through his last few days on this earth helps me remember how
much he loves me and every other human ever to be born. Fully God and
fully human, Jesus experienced the depth of the human condition. On that
cross was pinned every sin of the world. We have nothing new to repent
from; Jesus knew it all. He felt it all. And with that I can have
confidence that He walks with me in my life too.
Easter is glorious indeed, but I encourage you to participate fully in
Holy Week. Join us for the Palm Sunday procession but move with us into
Christ's passion on Maundy Thursday and Good Friday. I think your Easter
celebration will mean so much more.
Thank you for teaching me the full story of the Good News.
Carla Vanatta, Associate in Ministry
Salem Lutheran Church, Sycamore, IL
Salem reminders:
Salem Anniversary Choir adds choral music to the Passion Narrative at 5:00
Sat. and 10:30 a.m. Palm Sunday Worship; the Children's Choirs will share
at 8:00.
Salem's 140th anniversary as a congregation is almost here - April 4,
1870-April 4, 2010! Individuals who have been Salem members for 50-81
years will be honored at the 9:15 a.m. hospitality hour and again at 10:30
a.m. worship this Sunday, March 28th. Be sure to thank them for their
faithfulness. Membership is counted from the date of their confirmation
or when they joined the congregation.
Salem Youth have collected almost 1500 pair of shoes to date for Share
Your Soles! They will be dedicated at Maundy Thursday 7 p.m. worship so
you still have a few days to contribute gently used shoes of any kind and
size.
In honor of our 140th anniversary we are compiling 140 health kits to be
shared around the world through Lutheran Disaster and World Relief. Have
you contributed any soap, nail clippers, large-tooth combs, toothbrushes,
or dark-colored hand towels? Your gift would be so appreciated and can be
brought in through Easter. The Health Kits will be dedicated Sunday,
April 11th.
We're preparing for a large crowd on Easter, particularly at 10:30
worship. Your gift of hospitality as an extra greeter would be such a
help. We'd like to station people at each door on both levels. Please
sign up at the table in the narthex. Thank you!
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