March 29 - Lenten Devotional

As he (Jesus) was now approaching the path down from the Mount of Olives, the whole multitude of the disciples began to praise God joyfully with a loud voice for all the deeds of power that they had seen, saying, "Blessed is the king who comes in the name of the Lord! Peace in heaven, and glory in the highest heaven!" (Luke 19:35-38)

As he came near and saw the city, he (Jesus) wept over it, saying, "If you, even you, had only recognized on this day the things that make for peace!" (Luke 19:41)

It’s amazing what a different perspective will do for you. Jesus comes into Jerusalem – the event we memorialize with Palm Sunday – and the crowds celebrate… but Jesus weeps.

A week ago I made a strange comment at the Sunset worship – strange because I didn’t really explain what I meant. I called Palm Sunday a false celebration. It is a false celebration – or a day when we shouldn’t really be celebrating. It becomes juxtaposed to the very real celebration of Easter. On Easter we can truly celebrate because, having been through the horrible journey of Holy Week, we have had priorities set straight, our vision of the world transformed, and know what it is we are really celebrating.

But let us not get ahead of ourselves… At the moment Jesus is weeping – and the crowds are cheering.

There is so much to see here but for the moment – through the lens of discerning discipleship – what it reminds me of is this: Discipleship is a community affair - I believe that it is best to discern faithful ways of living in the world in community… we need those other perspectives after all. However, we also need to be take note – communities do not necessarily discern any more accurately than individuals do.

I think it’s a funny phenomenon – very often we easily claim that we are all sinners, that we all err in judgment, in word, and in deed. And yet how often do we presume that our groups, communities, institutions… even our nations are some how without blemish. One thousand sinners get together and somehow there is no longer sin? 10,000 (maybe more – maybe less) followers and onlookers travel after, and even ahead of, Jesus – but they had no idea what it was all about… in fact they got it completely wrong.

Does this mean we give up on communities and move back to individual discernment? Not at all! It does mean however that in community we also need to know how to confess and ask forgiveness on behalf of our community… in community we need to seek out other perspectives… engage in careful and depthful discernment… in community we need to remember – with intentionality – that we see “in a mirror dimly” (as Paul put it). We still need correction – to find the speck in our collective eye and remove it… particularly before we start pointing out the specks in the eyes of other communities, institutions, and traditions.

Are you listening to other perspectives – not to find fault – but to really engage what they offer you for a deeper appreciation of God’s creation… and attention to God’s presence?

Have you gone with the crowds and status quo rather than stop to question perceived truth claims - both for your own sake, and the sake of those same crowds?

Are you attentive to what Jesus is weeping over – and seeking to help make the world aware of it and join God offering healing and wholeness?

Weeping God,
So many times we get caught up in the elation of the crowds…
Caught up in the glamour of a parade… in the “circus” lights…
In the din and noise of the multitudes – we fail to hear your tears.
Help us to attend to the voices of your prophets, and be those voices to our communities – calling each other to ever more faithfulness.
Amen.