Traditionally, on this significant day in the Christian calendar, the church is decked out with palm branches, and during the service, we all leave the safety of our pews to join in a procession around the church. I’ll be interested to hear if people have tried to re-create the Palm Sunday procession in their lounge rooms!
It is a remarkable point in Jesus’ life. This amazing triumphant welcome into Jerusalem took place only five days before his death (the timing is explained in John 12:1 and 12:12). None of the disciples and none of the crowds could have imagined that Jesus’ popularity with the crowds was to turn so bitterly, so that a crowd would be baying for his blood a few days later.
Jesus, however, knew very well that this would take place, because it was his Father’s plan. Thus in the midst of the crowds’ adulation, he must have felt the dread of what was to come, and to have been praying earnestly to his Father to protect him. What we know is that he undertook this because of his love for you and me, to save us by his sin-bearing death.
There have been various online meetings this week – Bible study groups, our Mission Prayer meeting, and Youth on Friday night. As well as those, we are trying out online 8 am and 6 pm gatherings this Sunday. I am hoping and praying that we will be able to add to the online gathering opportunities, and that more people will join in on these, as it is our best way of meeting at the moment.
The diocesan magazine, Southern Cross, has been published as an online edition this month. Please take a look at: https://sydneyanglicans.net/southerncross.