<html><body>Greetings, folk!<br><br>We begin the parish hall for the Liturgy of the
Palms. After the Palm Gospel, I offer the homily. Then we process into
the nave with our palms. The Passion Gospel is at the very end, after
the Prayer of Thanksgiving, after which we depart in silence.<br><br>Happy processing tomorrow!<br><br><br>Bob<br><br><br><p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:
normal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">THE
EPISCOPAL CHURCH OF ST. ALBAN, ALBANY<span style="mso-tab-count:1"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>THE
SUNDAY OF THE PASSION: PALM SUNDAY</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:
normal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">ISAIAH
50:4-9a <span style="mso-tab-count:2"> </span><span style="mso-tab-count:3"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span><span style="mso-tab-count:1"> </span><span style="mso-tab-count:1"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span><span style="mso-tab-count:1"> </span><span style="mso-tab-count:1"> </span><span style="mso-tab-count:1"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>29<sup>th</sup> MARCH, 2015</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:
normal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">PHILIPPIANS
2:5-11<span style="mso-tab-count:5"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span><span style="mso-tab-count:1"> </span><span style="mso-tab-count:1"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>PSALM 31:9-16</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:
normal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif"">PALM
SUNDAY GOSPEL MARK 11:1-11<span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span><span style="mso-tab-count:1"> </span><span style="mso-tab-count:1"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>PASSION SUNDAY GOSPEL MARK 14:1
– 15:47</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:
normal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";
mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman""> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:
normal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";
mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman""><span style="mso-tab-count:1"> </span>It’s
funny how we all tale some things for granted. We may have heard them so many
times that we don’t think twice about them. It doesn’t even cross our minds to
question these things, so we go along, imagining we know what’s happening, or
who said or did a certain thing, even how we need to respond. All I need to
say, for instance, is “The Lord be with you.: and you’ll reply, “…..”!</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:
normal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";
mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman""> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:
normal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";
mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman""><span style="mso-tab-count:1"> </span>It’s
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal"><u>NOT</u></b> meaningless. It’s just so
ingrained in us, some of us from childhood, others for a little less time. It’s
a good habit to have this prayer on the tip of our tongues. We all need’s God’s
blessing constantly, and to pray it for each other is such a comfort. I hope
that, no matter what, I’ll never take this for granted.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:
normal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";
mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman""> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:
normal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";
mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman""><span style="mso-tab-count:1"> </span>What
came to my mind, in pretty much the same way as “The Lord be with you” was the
cry, “Hosanna!” </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:
normal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";
mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman""> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:
normal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";
mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman""><span style="mso-tab-count:1"> </span>We
don’t use it in everyday speech quite so often these days, usually only in
listening to scripture readings, or in some worship situation like reciting a
psalm. It’s hardly likely that we’ll be standing at the cash register in Costco
and someone say to another, “Hosanna!” Unlikely, but not impossible!! For that
matter, I’d be really pleased to stand there and hear someone say, “The Lord be
with you”, with or without the response!</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:
normal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";
mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman""> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:
normal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";
mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman""><span style="mso-tab-count:1"> </span>I
was used to thinking of the crowd at the gate into Jerusalem as yelling
something like, “Yahoo!”, as if they were too excited to get out any other
comment. And that certainly may have been one of the thoughts the people had as
they watched Jesus enter the Holy City. After all, He was coming home, to the
one place on earth which God seemed to touch most closely, where God seemed to
embrace the people in both joy and comfort. It is, still, such a place,
although the need for comfort is much more necessary these days, regrettably.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:
normal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";
mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman""> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:
normal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";
mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman""><span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span><span style="mso-tab-count:1"> </span>Yes,
“Hosanna!” was a tremendous sign of celebration. Jesus, who was viewed by some,
at least, as being God’s Christ, God’s anointed messenger of peace, of hope, of
reconciliation, coming into that holiest of holies to repair everything that
had dis-eased the relationship between God and humans.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:
normal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";
mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman""> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:
normal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";
mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman""><span style="mso-tab-count:1"> </span>But
what’s at the root of the Hebrew word “Hosanna!” is much deeper than that. It’s
a tremendous cry which rises from the soul of the nation as a whole, as well as
from each individual. Its meaning has crossed into the Greek words used at the
beginning of the liturgy – “kyrie eleison” – “Lord, have mercy.” It has in it
the element of celebration, of recognition of who Jesus is, but the part we
usually forget is that when we, collectively or individually, meet Jesus, our
first thoughts will probably be, “Have mercy on me, on us, sinners all.”</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:
normal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";
mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman""> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:
normal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";
mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman""><span style="mso-tab-count:1"> </span>We
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal"><u>NEED</u></b> redemption – and this is
the heart of the week we begin today. Even after all our participation and
conversation with God in prayer here, at home, and everywhere in between; even
after making promises to God and receiving Jesus’ promise of company, support
and friendship; even after that we all know how we still fall short. We, as we’ll
go in procession from this space in a few minutes, will be just like the crowds
around Jesus, His close friends, those who didn’t know Him quite so well, yet
were intrigued and on the way to a commitment with Him and the pilgrims who
were caught up in the excitement. They and we have at least one thing in
common. So do those who were travelling through Jerusalem on their way to some
other destination, perhaps some who were not able to complete their journey for
a few days because the holiday had intervened and disrupted plans. We too find
ourselves in places at which we may not have had any intention of spending more
than an hour or two, but something prevents our moving on, so we’re stuck with
looking around, with looking and interacting with those in the city.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:
normal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";
mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman""> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:
normal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";
mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman""><span style="mso-tab-count:1"> </span><span style="mso-spacerun:yes"> </span>Whoever, we are, whatever brings us to this
place, whether or not we admit it, somewhere within us we can sense that we all
need and seek the mercy of God which Jesus promised.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:
normal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";
mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman""> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:
normal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";
mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman""><span style="mso-tab-count:1"> </span>It
doesn’t matter who we are or what we do, we <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:
normal"><u>ALL</u></b> need blessing. We, or someone close to us, is going
through incredible hardship. There are decisions to be made, decisions that
will impact the rest of peoples’ lives. What someone else chooses to do will
affect us; what someone is afraid to do, or not do, will affect us and people
who may not even know the person with the choice to be made. It may be that we
cannot even see clearly what the choices are, or that we need to respond in one
way or another. It may be that we don’t know that what we said or did hurt, or
abused, or frightened someone else. Every morning I – and you can make up your own
minds for yourselves – I, at any rate, have to begin breathing “Hosanna” when I
wake up. I need to be cleansed and strengthened from the opening of every day.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:
normal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";
mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman""> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:
normal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";
mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman""><span style="mso-tab-count:1"> </span>There
are attitudes that need to be changed, attitudes which can bring healing or
death to body and soul. There are responsibilities to accept which can turn our
own and others’ lives around. All of these and more can redeem us through God’s
blessing, through God’s mercy. But it comes at a cost, a tremendous cost.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:
normal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";
mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman""> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:
normal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";
mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman""><span style="mso-tab-count:1"> </span>The
Love of Jesus is <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal"><u>NOT</u></b> free. It
<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal"><u>IS</u></b> exciting – <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal"><u>YES</u></b>! It <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:
normal"><u>IS</u></b> reforming – <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal"><u>YES</u></b>!
It <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal"><u>IS</u></b> so powerful that it can
help us to face any challenge that may come to us. Love, Jesus, Love, merciful
Love, comes at a tremendous cost to the giver, as we’ll hear and see again at
the end of our procession. It involves surrender.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:
normal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";
mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman""> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:
normal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";
mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman""><span style="mso-tab-count:1"> </span>God
surrenders to Jesus, to us, in order that Jesus can make that decision about
how much, how fully He’ll love. God gives freedom – gives up any hint of
insisting on God’s own way. God gives the freedom in order that Jesus and we
may choose.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:
normal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";
mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman""> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:
normal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";
mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman""><span style="mso-tab-count:1"> </span>As
did and does God, Jesus gives of Himself, finally, in order to generate the
passionate love, or rather, to make it apparent to us how much God desires peace,
and hope, and excitement for us, with such an abandonment. Jesus surrenders to
bring wholeness and freedom. All the costs are covered by what Jesus did from
Sunday through Friday and beyond, and this is what you and I are invited to
begin to reconsider, but especially to take with us today. This blessing, this
mercy, this loving dedication is given to enable us to face everything we may
encounter this week and beyond. This word, on the lips of the pilgrims to
Passover, is ours to say, in joy <b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:normal"><u>AND</u></b>
in stress, a way of linking us to Jesus in such an intimate way, from first
breath to last.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:
normal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";
mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman""> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:
normal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";
mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman""><span style="mso-tab-count:1"> </span>Will
this make our procession more subdued? Will this prevent us from laughing, from
feeling some sort of exhilaration as we walk from here to the Nave of the
Church? Will this prevent us from being uplifted and enriched as we go to
whatever awaits us this afternoon? No – and it shouldn’t. This is the last
thing that Jesus wishes for us. But Jesus wishes us to find the depth of the
meaning, the depth of the pleasure that God offers us each day, on our various
tasks and journeys. And Jesus prays that we’ll take life seriously enough to
find the wonderful potential we have, even in crises</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-indent:
.5in;line-height:normal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";
mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman""> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;text-indent:
.5in;line-height:normal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";
mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman"">I wonder if you remember the words
we say as we commend someone at death into God’s care. Even at the grave we make
our song.</span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:
normal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";
mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman""> </span></p>
<p class="MsoNormal" style="margin-bottom:0in;margin-bottom:.0001pt;line-height:
normal"><span style="font-size:10.0pt;font-family:"Arial","sans-serif";
mso-fareast-font-family:"Times New Roman""><span style="mso-tab-count:1"> </span>So
today, once more, in hope and happiness, we say, “<b style="mso-bidi-font-weight:
normal"><u>HOSANNA – LORD, HAVE MERCY!”</u></b> and we continue to follow
Jesus, wherever.</span></p><p>-----------------------------------------</p><br> Robert P Morrison<br>St. Alban's Episcopal Church<br>PO Box 1556<br>Albany, OR 97321<br><br>541-921-1076</body></html>