Ponder the way of the cross

TODAY MARKS the Sunday of the Passion, more popularly known as Palm Sunday. Depending on where you are, you may see folks marching with branches of palms or waving them along the way. Churches and homes may also display palm branches on this day.

Palm Sunday is the first day of Holy Week. It is the week of our Lord’s passion. This refers to Jesus the Christ’s experience of triumphant welcome with palms and shouts of praise, the same week when he endured suffering and death. Palms are symbols of victory. And so, although Jesus was mocked with a crown of thorns and his throne was a cross, the glory of the resurrection awaited.

Holy week presents Christians with an opportunity to recognise that we are united with Christ in His suffering on the cross, and a hope that, in Christ, we may share in resurrection and new life.

A significant observance later in Holy Week is the Paschal Triduum or Easter Triduum. This Holy Triduum or the Three Days refers to the “one celebration” that begins on Holy Thursday (Maundy Thursday) and culminates on Easter Day. In other words, the celebration of the institution of the Lord’s Supper and the washing of feet on Maundy Thursday and the Good Friday Liturgy come to the high point of the Easter Celebration when the Paschal Triduum truly ends. That is why the services appears to have an almost abrupt ‘end’ prior to Easter.

The images of the humble, suffering Christ are such a contrast in a world where many in the church present themselves as representative of God on the basis of material wealth, a mega-crowd following, and the ‘othering’ of those who do not fit the status quo. In fact many Christians are no longer aware that Maundy Thursday is named after the Latin ‘mandatum’ for ‘commandment’, since Jesus gave the “New Commandment” of love on this evening when he was betrayed. Maundy Thursday is Holy Thursday.

In some places, the liturgy of the palms occurs before the Eucharist (Mass) in church. In such cases, the faithful gather at a location in a public space where palm branches are blessed and distributed. Sometimes crosses of palms are also blessed and given to people just before the service.

Palm Sunday presents an opportunity to also reflect on victory, which is symbolised by palm branches. Although there is suffering and death, there is also victory. The palm symbol is seen in Revelation 7:9, “After this I saw a vast crowd, too great to count, from every nation and tribe and people and language, standing in front of the throne and before the Lamb. They were clothed in white robes and held palm branches in their hands.”

Maybe this victory and triumph is best appreciated when we ponder the way of the cross and the sacrifice of Christ. In a post-modern world, such images are not readily processed. However, there is no better way to celebrate and anticipate victory in Jesus than going back to some old fashioned reflection on the cross of Christ.

Many readers will find that their faith journey resonates with the old hymn which states:

Jesus, keep me near the Cross

There a precious fountain

Free to all a healing stream

Flows from Calvary’s mountain.

Christians have also found that the language of faith is not always easily expressed. Hence the use of symbols and expressions which seek to present the joy of being in Christ. The hymn writer goes on to state:

In the cross, in the cross

Be my glory ever;

Till my raptured soul shall find

Rest beyond the river.

The Collect for today is instructive: Almighty and ever living God, in your tender love for all our human race, you sent your Son our Saviour Jesus Christ to take on flesh and suffer death upon a cruel cross. May we follow the example of his great humility, and share in the glory of his resurrection through Jesus Christ our Lord, who is alive and reigns with you and the Holy Spirit, one God, now and forever. Amen.

Maybe, this Holy Week, we might reflect with the hymn writer, Frances J. Crosby, and just ponder again these words:

Near the cross! O Lamb of God,

Bring its scenes before me;

Help me walk from day to day,

With its shadows o’er me.

Near the cross I’ll watch and wait

Hoping, trusting ever,

Till I reach the golden strand,

Just beyond the river.

n Father Sean Major-Campbell is an Anglican priest and advocate for human rights. He is the rector of Christ Church in Vineyard Town. seanmajorcampbell@yahoo.com. Send feedback to columns@gleanerjm.com