Palm Sunday 2023

 

Today, being Palm Sunday,  I made a special effort to make the Kirk.  I knew the vicar had planned a march around the building, all very Anglican, and took my camera, the battery suitably refreshed and the disc cleaned.  The only trouble was I was knackered by the time I reached there.  A mile walk and all I want to do is sit and dove for five minutes.  Naturally, a man came over to talk.  By the time I had dispensed with him people sat down beside me and talked!  At one and the same time I was so pleased to be among people who like me but at the same time just wished I could doze.  As John was speaking I knew there was an opportunity for that however!

Of course after a few minutes, when we all began to relax the vicar informed us that NOW we would parade!  There was much creaking of bones, aching of muscles all around, while those in wheelchairs looked a wee bit despondent, those walking felt much more so!  Grabbing my coat, about 46% with a cold north east wind, I hobbled my way out first, across the road, and positioned myself for the debacle parade.  

I do anything to avoid joining in these catholic like rites.  

Across the road, on the pavement opposite I had little time to get positioned.  I grabbed a few shots as the party walked by, few locals around as it was still just before eleven in the morning, and moving from the front of the church, around to the rear and back in to continue the service.

Much enjoyment from many, much relief as seats were taken once again from others.

All this to remind ourselves of Jesus welcome into Jerusalem.

Jesus, riding on a colt of a donkey, would go down from this 'Mount of Olives,' and climb back up to the gate opposite, just out of shot to the right.  As it was Passover, the entire Jewish diaspora wished to be in Jerusalem.  Numbers vary from 500,000 to over 3 million attending this event.  Whatever the number, it is clear vast crowds were gathered in the vicinity.  Some say (note this phrase, very useful to me) those throwing down their cloaks and branches of palm trees, a common eastern occurrence, were people from Galilee who had seen Jesus operating there.  This to distinguish them from the crowd calling for his execution a week later who were possibly the Jewish leaders local men.  

Whatever, a crowd gathered as it does when an occasion is underway, vast numbers would see a man on a colt clambering up the hill cheered by the crowds proclaiming him a 'prophet,' while he himself was living out the scriptural prophecy of being the Messiah.  Few recognised this.

The final countdown had begun.  Jesus, the man from Nazareth who was God in the flesh, arrived to be greeted by cheering crowds, yet he alone knew what was about to happen.  Some considered him a prophet with gifts, some hoped he was the Messiah, almost none knew he was about to die on a cross for their sin.  

Knowledge of scripture does not always lead to understanding.