Post-Palm Sunday Reflections

Palm Sunday must be important. It is one of the few events recorded in all four Gospels.

What makes it so important? It is the message Jesus is sending, which is often misunderstood and too often taught incorrectly.

The story has Jesus riding a donkey into Jerusalem. The Jesus' followers and even the crowds began cheering. They were offering up the interwoven spiritual and nationalistic cheers for this donkey riding rabbi. Luke has the Pharisees telling Jesus to quiet the crowds to which Jesus responds that even if he did, the stones would cry out.

So what's happening? Let's put the story into the context in which it occurred. First, we must remember that Jesus is Jewish. Jerusalem's people are Jewish. The religious leaders are Jewish. So it strikes me that we should look at this event through Jewish eyes to understand it (which most do not ironically).

The first mistake people make is the very reason Jesus is riding a donkey. Jesus rides the donkey NOT to be humble. On the contrary, he rides the donkey to elicit praise and adoration. From the O.T. tradition, the kings of Israel rode donkeys. Yes, Zechariah has a verse about riding the donkey in humility, but the very image of the donkey is one of kingship. So, when Jesus rides a donkey into Jerusalem, he is in fact making a startling claim: He is King and worthy of praise.

The second mistake is what this does to the crowds. They are not worshiping Jesus as the Son of God. They are adoring a challenger to Rome. In Jesus (or anyone willing to lead them), the Jews saw a possibility of overthrowing the Romans. As this young, popular leader takes the mantle of leadership/kingship by riding the donkey, the people cheer for they want the oppression, the taxation, and the humiliation of Roman occupation to end. The crowds are cheering a hero-to-be. They want a military coup, and symbolized by donkey, Jesus is a tantalizing possibility.

The third mistake is continues this same theme. The Pharisees are not asking Jesus to avoid being adored. They are begging Jesus to not rouse the attention and anger of the Romans. Potential Messiahs had come and gone...each leading failed rebellions against the Romans, and each one leaving the Jewish people in a worse position as the Roman military tightened the vice on Palestine. This is, from a historical perspective, the reason why Jesus is crucified. He was a threat to Rome. The Jewish leaders were quick to hand him over to the Romans as a peace offering. What an irony for that is exactly what he was.

What is at stake in this scene is the Kingship of Jesus. Notice that this is all the Romans are concerned with during the trial and crucifixion: "Are you the King of the Jews?"

Jesus riding the donkey made that claim, and the people spread their palms out before him. Yet, just a few days later those same people were apathetic or fleeing or even condemning Jesus to death.

I cannot hold a palm on Palm Sunday without thinking of Ash Wednesday for I see in the palm waving in my hand the sin and betrayal of Jesus I have and will commit even while I wave it in worship of Him. The tension of the Sunday is hard to hold, and maybe it helps us understand the Grace we live with...for every day we worship Jesus we also end up betraying him. It's nothing new.

Holy Week Thoughts

Today at the Men's Tuesday Morning Breakfast, we talked about Jesus in the Garden of Gathsemane (read Matthew 26:36-46 here). It takes place on Thursday of Holy Week, after the Last Supper, late in the evening.

It is such a fascinating scene. The Divine Word made flesh praying in the Garden that God's Will would be done...Why? Because, the very human Jesus does not want to endure the Cross. "If there's any other way?...But, I will do whatever you will, Father God."

It is the loneliest of scenes in all of Scripture. Yes, Jesus' friends and students all fell asleep instead of staying awake and praying for him, but I think it's more than that. On the eve of arguably Jesus' most important day, he's not so sure. The Cross is closer than ever before. The betrayal is closer than we would expect. The comfortability of the now is more tangible than ever. Today, worship, teaching, and friendship. Tomorrow, suffering, despair, and death.

Too often we dehumanize Jesus. It's actually a long standing idea: Jesus was too good, too perfect, too divine to be like us. "There's no way that Jesus got tired, smelly, irritated, cranky, angry, or even scared." Yet, the Scripture says that he was fully human. Just like us, and so he must have had the same feelings that we have.

Jesus was scared in the Garden. Reluctant to give up all the things we take for granted, I believe he knew what was coming, and he didn't want to do it. But, he did want to do what God called him to do. I think that is what I take away from the Garden: Jesus' love for God was so strong that he would do anything God called him to do...Sounds obvious! Of course Jesus would! Yet...

Often I find myself not wanting to do what I know I'm called to do: To leave the comfort of my bed at 2 a.m. to pray and talk with someone in the mist of a crisis that words cannot fix. To turn the other cheek when people are intentionally hurting me. To apologize for hurting someone else. In these moments, I hear the struggle happening in my heart: You don't want to do this...You don't HAVE to do this...You don't DESERVE this.

I'm positive that Jesus felt the same way, except those things were way more true of him!

So when I taste that moment, I know that I have tasted just a tiny speck of Jesus' night in the Garden. This helps me to understand just how unobvious the temptation really was for Jesus, how human he really was, and, ultimately, how much the Father loves you and me: He loves us enough to put Jesus through this. Enough that when Jesus begged for something different, God stuck to the plan.

In the Gardens of our lives, my prayer is that we might find the strength in our hearts to love God and follow Him...wherever the Spirit may lead.

Excerpt Regarding the Cross

The following is an exerpt from the April Newsletter...

The Cross of Jesus is about death. Scriptural claims that Jesus died as an atonement for the world’s sin. It was a substitution death. His death for our death. However, the Cross stands as a symbol of our death, too…a death to sin, a death to shame and guilt, and even a death to ourselves and our selfishness. The Cross is literally a garbage heap for all of our sin, shame, and internal “junk”. When Jesus suffered and died on the Cross, he took all of that “junk” and it died on the Cross with him. It’s sad that so often we put gold on our crosses for the Cross is ugly, horrid, and deadly. We should see it no other way. It truly is a symbol of everything ugly in humanity.

And everything beautiful about God.

Proud of the Boilers

Purdue was knocked out of the NCAA tournament last night in a good game against Duke. The officiating wasn't terrible aside from moving screens and headlocks and goal tending not being called, but the big difference was the talent and size of Duke.

Kudos to a 29 win team, Big Ten Champs, and an impressive resume despite the amazingly unlucky nature of the year: Three very serious injuries to two starters (PG Lewis Jackson and SF Robbie Hummel) and one promising back-up (PF/C Sandi Marcius).

With Moore and JJ saying they will return, only a major bout of injuries should sideline this team from at least a Final Four.

With Carroll and the two Johnsons coming in, this team might be very, very special next year.

Thanks to Chris Kramer and Keaton Grant for coming to Purdue at its lowest and leaving it at a very high level that continues to climb! You both were the heart and soul of Purdue basketball for these last four years. Keaton's shooting and Kramer's taking over a game with defense will sorely be missed...yet, their hard work has laid the foundation for a program ready to earn the "elite" status.

Another Game...

...another Big East loss!

I'm sure after the tournament, we'll hear all about why the Big East really is good but somehow the stars were aligned against them in the tournament.

Wake up talking heads! The Big East is NOT the best conference in the nation. It only scores the most points. One problem: Some schools actually play defense.

In the Coastal NBA love-fest, the sports media doesn't understand that defense and fundamentals still matter in college basketball. Butler gets it. Northern Iowa gets it. The Big Ten gets it.

Now if only Purdue can pull the upset tomorrow night. It doesn't look good on paper. Three high scorers. A forest of big men. Several McDonald's All-Americans. Coach K. The name: Duke.

But, we have heart. Go Boilers!

Sweet 16, Baby!!!

Wow, what a game!

Purdue, the most hated team by analysts world-wide, is proving the critics wrong. Chris Kramer pulled out one of his best games. As Larry Krisbee said over the radio, "Chris Kramer has written himself in the books as a Purdue legend."

Good for Chris.

Now for what I consider the best team in the tournament: Duke. I was worried about them before we lost Robbie. I hope Purdue proves me wrong, but I think we will really struggle against Duke.

But, then again, this team has proved everyone (except Purdue fans) wrong so far!!!

NCAA Night #2

ESPN experts: Big East is the best league in the nation. Big Ten overrated, not that good.

Big East Tournament Record: 4-4 (including a close game with questionable officiating for a win of #2 Villanova over a #15, and of course #3 Georgetown getting embarrassed).

Big Ten Tournament Record: 4-1 (with the one loss being the 7th best team in the BT).

Upset of the year: Purdue over the mighty, powerhouse of Sienna. How Purdue managed to overcome the sure defeat by such an overwhelming opponent is amazing...or at least that's what we heard all week. CBS "experts" went so far as to say, "Is picking Sienna really even an upset?" To that I reply....

I have some college friends who host a nationally recognized Purdue blog...The language is a bit suspect, but I think some of the recent content adequately summarizes how every Purdue fan feels...I'll let them say it here.