Palm Sunday

Gospel – Mark 11:1-10

Gospel – Mark 14:1 – 15:47

Something Better Is Coming

Razzouk’s, Old City of Jerusalem

We took our latest pilgrimage to the Holy Land just a bit over a year ago.  In many ways, it was probably also our last trip.  So we prepared accordingly!  I wanted to make this journey extra special and memorable; so I did a lot of research, came up with a plan and shared it with my fellow travelers.  Some thought I was crazy and some immediately signed on to join me in the venture.

So what did I do?   I got a tattoo!!!

But not just any tattoo shop.  It turns out that the oldest shop in the world is in the Old City in Jerusalem – Razzouk’s!  And what a history!  It has been in operation for over 700 years, in Jerusalem for over 500 years.  And throughout all those years, it has been the same family – 27 generations of the Razzouk family, with Wassim as the current owner.  Where else could you possibly want to get a tattoo!

And not just any tattoo either!  It needed to be something special, something to remind me of the times we visited the Holy Land.  Trust me, they had a lot of choices to pick from.  They had thousands of options  and hundreds of the original wooden stamps, hand-carved to use as stencils.  And so I picked what you see in the photo.

The centerpiece is the Jerusalem Cross or the Pilgrim’s Cross – a simple cross with 4 smaller crosses inset within the cross.  The image is meant to symbolize the 4 Gospels as well as the spread of the Word of God to the 4 corners of the earth and also the 5 wounds of Christ.  Above the cross is a dove – the Holy Spirit showering down graces upon the world.  And then surrounding the cross are 2 branches.  One is an olive branch, symbolizing peace.  And the other is a palm branch, symbolizing joy and celebration.

Which brings us to today’s Gospel, or should I say today’s 2 Gospels!  While today’s liturgy has always been very meaningful to me, I have to admit that I always feel a bit of ‘spiritual whiplash’ from the Gospels.  We start with Jesus’ entrance into Jerusalem – a moment of joy and celebration as He is welcomed into the city as a celebrity and a king!  It’s a moment of happiness; but it doesn’t last.  We move immediately from that joyful procession to the pain and suffering of the Passion, the crucifixion and death of Jesus!  From joy to pain, from celebration to suffering!  Talk about a change/range of emotions!

Like the images on the Jerusalem Cross, it’s a reminder that we all have moments of joy and celebration – birthdays, weddings, family reunions and graduations!  We all have moments of peace and tranquility – that sense of calm after a job well-done!  And we all certainly have moments where we bear crosses that seem too heavy to manage – death of a loved one, prolonged and debilitating illness, a broken friendship. 

But our faith reminds us that those moments are fleeting, temporary and that there is something more to come!   

It reminds me of a story I tell at wake services!

There was a young woman who had been diagnosed with a terminal illness and had been given three months to live. So as she was getting her things in order, she contacted her pastor and had him come to her house to discuss certain aspects of her final wishes. She told him which songs she wanted sung at the service, which scriptures she would like read, and which outfit she wanted to be buried in. Everything was in order and the pastor was preparing to leave when the young woman suddenly remembered something very important to her.

"There's one more thing," she said excitedly. "What's that?" came the pastor's reply. "This is very important," the young woman continued. "I want to be buried with a fork in my right hand." The pastor stood looking at the young woman, not knowing quite what to say. "That surprises you, doesn't it?" the young woman asked. "Well, to be honest, I'm puzzled by the request," said the pastor.

The young woman explained. "My grandmother once told me this story, and from that time on, I have always tried to pass along its message to those I love and those who are in need of encouragement. In all my years of attending socials and dinners, I always remember that when the dishes of the main course were being cleared, someone would inevitably lean over and say, 'Keep your fork.' It was my favorite part because I knew that something better was coming...like velvety chocolate cake or deep-dish apple pie. Something wonderful, and with substance!"

So, I just want people to see me there in that casket with a fork in my hand and I want them to wonder "What's with the fork?" Then I want you to tell them: "Keep your fork...the best is yet to come."

There’s more to the story!  There’s more to this week!  It doesn’t end today!  It doesn’t end with Good Friday!  No matter how many crosses we have carried or how many palm branches we have waved!  Something better is coming!  There is a greater day coming, a day of great joy and celebration!  A day of resurrection and new life in the Kingdom!

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