Holy week is the oldest and most sacred time of the Church year for Christians. It revolves around the Lord Jesus’ suffering death and resurrection as acts of love for the world. This year at St. Anselm we are focusing on Holy Week as the Procession of Jesus from the gates to the empty tomb. While Jesus’ betray and death is central to Salvation, it is a mistake to hold these events so much in isolation that we lose the fact that these acts of extreme humility, and suffering were a necessary part of a victory procession completed when Jesus ascended to the right hand of the Father.
There are parallels and contrasts to the Roman Triumphal Processions of their great generals. As I outlined in my Palm Sunday sermon the parallels include: The procession itself, the adoration of the people, the ascension to a sacrifice and the celebration of a feast. For example, according to Plutarch’s Lives Roman Counsel and General Pompey the Great road in processions accompanied by conquered kings, plunder in great style with a perishable crown of laurel held above his head. He was accompanied by the important men of the Republic; senators and magistrates walked with him. He then sacrificed to Jupiter and they feasted with him.
Jesus’ procession contains similar element but transformed. But He enters Jerusalem riding a humble colt (Lk. 19:33), lauded by the common people and children (Mt.21:15) while being derided by the leaders of society (Lk.19:39). Jesus also holds a Feast, but it is the Feast of the Eucharist (The Last Supper) where he gives his body and blood to establish a new covenant of salvation with himself as an offering. Finally Jesus also offers a sacrifice, but it is a sacrifice of Himself prepared by the Godhead from the beginning of time as the Annunciation reading points out (Heb. 10:5). And the Procession of Jesus does not stop with the Sacrifice but continued to the place of the Dead (Sheol) through the Resurrection and Ascension!
But in Holy week and Easter we focus on this particular part of the procession showing the extreme love of God for us and the obedience of Jesus that accompanied it as part of Jesus’ eternal Triumph. Palm Sunday the Procession began with Jesus’ Triumphal Entry into Jerusalem, and continues through His cleansing of the Temple, Feast of the Last Supper, Sacrificial death on the Cross, Descent to the Dead (Sheol), and Resurrection.
We are invited to be part of his entourage in this procession. It is an extreme honor and joy, but accompanying Him is also full of suffering and grief. For we too must in this life be ridiculed at times for our Faith. We also will be betrayed, humiliated and may even suffer for being with the Lord. Jesus is clear that we must take up our cross to follow him (Mt. 16:44). But if we are willing to follow Him, He spares us from the cost of our sins. He paid the cost in full as the one completed sacrifice (Heb. 10) and we get to process with Him being freed from hell. He feeds us along the way with his Body and Blood and bids us walk through death to be reunited in God’s presence. So let us go on our way to the unfading and permanent crown grateful for the amazing grace He gives us (and all creation) in these next several days.
Watch the Palm Sunday Sermon