April 14, 2019
Fr. Phil Eberhart
The Home Stretch
This morning is Palm or Passion Sunday. We've just heard our own voices cry, "Crucify Him!" We've traveled a week in an hour - from the triumphal entry into Jerusalem with the waving of Palm branches and "Blessed is He who comes in the Name of the Lord!: Hosanna to the Son of David!" to "Crucify Him!"
On Palm Sunday of 1996 I entered the pulpit of this church for the first time as Priest-in-charge. This is 23 years on now and a lot of water under the bridge. Amidst the comments about my taking this charge, was one by Bishop Bill Frey, who simply said to me, "Watch out for triumphal entrys!"
Friends, God has used these 23 years in many people's lives, to touch, to heal, to deepen, to send, to activate and reactivate people for the Kingdom of God.
I can't preach long this morning because of all that we've got going on. So much of the whole Holy Week message is simply contained in the actions we partake in, the processional, the reading, the foot washing and communion on Thursday, the observance of the Crucifixion on Friday, the stories of God's People on Saturday and the Resurrection on Sunday next. I've entitled the sermon "THE HOME STRETCH."
For Jesus this last week of His life here on earth was a Home stretch! We think of the horses in a horse race when we hear that term, and the supreme effort it takes to do the last bit of the race to the finish line. The distance from Hosanna, Lord! to "It is Finished" was the Home Stretch for Jesus Christ. I would encourage you to read through the synoptic Gospels, Mark, then Matthew & Luke as they share the story of this last week, and then go to John, later in the week and reread the last almost half of John, from Chapter 12 to 21. Just like Jesus, my friends, the more that we put into the Home Stretch this week, the more we will get out of it, next Sunday. As we move through the darkness of the three days, walking with Jesus from the Upper Room to the Garden of Prayer, to the trial and condemnation, to the crucifixion - taking it all in - and then sitting in the dark Friday and Saturday, like the disciples did in the Upper Room.
We ask the same questions now as they did then... what do all these things mean? How shall we now live our lives?
The power of the resurrection on Sunday is magnified for us as we take part in the journey of Holy Week - as we read and meditate on these accounts, what Jesus said and did.
So, like on Ash Wednesday, I invited you to "the observance of a Holy Lent" now I invite you to the observance of this Holy WEEK. 7 pm Thursday, Friday and Saturday evening as we get ready for the greatest moment of our faith - the Resurrection of Jesus! Consider it all, brothers and sisters. Consider it all.
Let's pray...
Lord, Jesus Christ, you stretched out your arms of love on the hard wood of the Cross, that everyone might come into the reach of your saving embrace. Let us so enter on the observance of and meditation on your Holy acts, that we might be clothed upon by Your Spirit, and thus reach out our hands in love to those we know and those we meet, to bring those who do know know You, Lord Jesus, to the knowledge and love of you, for the Honor of Your Name.
Amen.
No comments:
Post a Comment