“Don’t Give Up Praising” - April 5, 2020 (Palm Sunday)

Luke 19:29-40                                                                                                                                         

            Palm Sunday: a day for processions and singing, a day for raising palm branches in the air and shouting, “Hosanna”!  Palm Sunday: a sort of coming-attraction for Easter. 

“All glory, laud, and honor to thee, Redeemer King,

to whom the lips of children made sweet hosannas ring.”

Not this year.  No, this year we are stuck inside, avoiding anything even suggestive of a crowd.  We do that as a precaution, hoping to slow down the spread of Covid-19, being protective of those children, of our families and our friends and our neighbors – and rightfully so.  But it just isn’t the same.

            Or is it?

            The Pharisees who told Jesus on that day itself that he should order his followers to stop, and who would probably have been pleased had he told them all to disperse, were acting from their own sense of caution, aware that what was going on in front of their eyes could easily have brought the wrath of the Roman legions on them.  Caesar did not like crowds shouting,

“Blessed is the king who comes in the name of the Lord!”  [Luke 19:38]

That implied that there was a king other than Caesar, and a Lord other than him.

            There was an underlying edge of fear on that day.  Whether or not it was warranted, you can judge by what happened in the days that followed.  Jesus was betrayed by one of his inner circle and arrested.  His followers went into hiding.  He was put on trial before both religious and civil authorities, subjected to torture, sentenced to execution, and killed.  So, yes, the people who wanted Jesus to tell the crowd to shut up had a point.

            But so did Jesus when he answered,

“I tell you, if these were silent, the stones would shout out.”  [Luke 19:40]

The praise, the giving of glory to God, the ascription of majesty and power, the recognition of God’s awesome being cannot be silenced.  If it goes quiet in one way, it rings out in another.

            The stones beneath our feet are a good example.  Do you remember ever looking at a piece of sandstone and noticing the shiny flecks of gold and silver along with the flakes of gray and white?  As a kid, I marveled at that.  Now I barely think about it anymore.  Too bad.  Or how is it that a smooth stone thrown just right can skim and skip across the top of a pond?  Why do some stones change color when they get wet, with a dull surface suddenly shimmering?

            Maybe when circumstances force us to slow down, we get a chance to see and hear how the world beyond humanity offers its own praise.  Francis of Assisi, who emphasized simplicity of life as part of discipleship, wrote a poem that we sing as the hymn “All Creatures of Our God and King”.  Let me read a translation of the original.

“Most High, all-powerful, all-good Lord, All praise is Yours, all glory, all honor and all blessings.

To you alone, Most High, do they belong, and no mortal lips are worthy to pronounce Your Name.

Praised be You my Lord with all Your creatures,
especially Sir Brother Sun,
Who is the day through whom You give us light.
And he is beautiful and radiant with great splendor,
Of You Most High, he bears the likeness.

Praised be You, my Lord, through Sister Moon and the stars,
In the heavens you have made them bright, precious and fair.

Praised be You, my Lord, through Brothers Wind and Air,
And fair and stormy, all weather's moods,
by which You cherish all that You have made.

Praised be You my Lord through Sister Water,
So useful, humble, precious and pure.

Praised be You my Lord through Brother Fire,
through whom You light the night and he is beautiful and playful and robust and strong.

Praised be You my Lord through our Sister,
Mother Earth
who sustains and governs us,
producing varied fruits with colored flowers and herbs.

Praised be You my Lord through those who grant pardon for love of You and bear sickness and trial.

Blessed are those who endure in peace,

By You Most High, they will be crowned.

Praised be You, my Lord through Sister Death,
from whom no-one living can escape.

Blessed are they She finds doing Your Will.
No second death can do them harm.

Praise and bless my Lord and give Him thanks,
And serve Him with great humility.”

            This morning there are no crowds around us to sing, “Hosanna!” but the birds.

            There is no one to wave a branch except the trees.

            There is no one to hear us but God.

            For once, let that be enough.