Listen to Bishop Cliff's Palm Sunday Reflection
The parade that accompanied Jesus into Jerusalem was an inconvenience and a scandal to the religious powers that wanted to 'control the message' of the temple and its ministry to the people of Israel. Luke’s account reminds us that the people who had flocked to welcome Jesus desperately wanted something from him: that he would inaugurate the new Jewish state and throw the occupying forces of Rome out of the land of the Holy One. That was what the crowd wanted, and so they waved their palms and shouted their Hosannas. The noise must have been deafening. The Passover time was when the population of the city swelled by many thousands—and so the expectation of trouble from religious rebels was a keen one.
Jesus, who acknowledged their hymns and cheers, was going to disappoint the crowd. He wasn’t going to be the kind of 'Son of David' that they wanted. The kingdom that Jesus had taught of was a kingdom of peace and healing, but it was not of the world in the way that these folks wanted. They would take out their frustrations in just a few days in the courts of Herod when they would call out “crucify him!”.
The Pharisees in the crowd were scandalized by the songs of the crowd calling out “Blessed is the King who comes in the name of the Lord! Peace in heaven and glory in the highest heaven”. Folks were singing and dancing in front of the little colt that was carrying Jesus because of all the mighty acts of God they had seen. If it had been like this all along, with healing and blessing following them all the way, it was only natural that people would expect more. But they were very much to be disappointed.
Jesus shuts down the Pharisees, who want these praises to God to be silenced by reminding them that the stones themselves would cry out if the crowd were silent.
That statement always catches me. The stones themselves will cry out.
Over the years I have been a preacher and teacher I have been convinced that creation itself is meant to proclaim the glory of God. Certainly Psalm 19 tells us, and the rest of the scriptures echo the message that creation itself is telling us of the glory of God. We have been placed into this creation at the very pinnacle, with memory, reason and skill, not to mention the voice to praise and the will to worship. So it is no surprise to me that we are called to lead all creation in that worship.
Years ago, while in Newfoundland for a Three Cantors concert, we were touring around the Avalon peninsula and were brought to a beach where all the rocks were a uniform size and colour. Their shiny, deep black and rounded surfaces all shimmered in the light of the sun. When the surf from the ocean rushed in, they were pushed about—but then when the water rushed out the air was filled with a very specific clattering that sounded like thousands of hands clapping. The rocks banged against one another by the rush of the water back to the sea...and I suddenly understood what the psalmist meant by creation clapping its hands in praise of God.
As the crowning achievement in creation, it is our duty and our joy to praise the living God who has created all things for our stewardship. Indeed, we must praise God or the rocks themselves will cry out. I know this to be true, because I have seen and heard it.
God will be praised in his heaven—and in the light of all that this week will bring to us, let us not be silent in our responsibility to proclaim that glory! God will use you, or he can use the very stones themselves...it might as well be us joining their chorus.
Yours faithfully,
Bishop William G. Cliff
XIII Bishop of Ontario
