As we gather, we recognize that we
live, work, pray, and play in the traditional,
unceded lands of the Cowichan Tribes and Coast Salish People. 
We continue to commit ourselves to
the work of reconciliation and relationship-building
with our First Nations neighbours.     

Call to Worship:

Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord.
Hosanna in the highest.

Christ became obedient unto death,
even death on a cross. 
Therefore God has highly exalted him and
bestowed on him the
name which is above every name. 

Philippians 2.8-9

O, Come.   Let Us Worship.

Gathering:

Assist us mercifully with your help, Lord God of our salvation, that we may enter with joy into the celebration of those mighty acts whereby you give us life and immortality; 
through Jesus Christ our Lord. Amen.

Collect for Today:

Almighty and ever-living God, 
In tender love for all our human race you sent your Son our Saviour Jesus Christ to take our 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 and the Holy Spirit, one God and for ever.  Amen.

The Proclamation of the Gospel:
Mark 15.1-39

Sermon:  The Ven.  Brian Evans

“The Great Funeral Procession”

The past couple of weeks, we have been reminded of two great leaders of the free world: Prime Minister Brian Mulroney, and President Reagan.

Possibly, the most famous of their visits was when they sang, ‘When Irish Eyes are Smiling’ at what was called (and dubbed) the Shamrock Summit in 1985. I am sure it has gone down in history as one of those ‘classic moments’ in politics.          

On Saturday of this week, just yesterday, our country paid tribute to our former prime minister, Brian Mulroney, as he was remembered in a State Funeral held in the Montreal Basilica.          

Funeral processions are ‘great moments’ in the life of a person, and in the life of a community, (and in our case, yesterday—the life of a country). They are moments to celebrate and give thanks for the life of a person.          

As I child, I remember clearly the first such procession I witnessed.

It was for one of our local farmers who, to use the response, ‘died far too young.’ The school in our small community was on the street for which the procession would pass, leaving the church and winding its way to the local cemetery. Two of his younger children were in our classes. The teacher had us all stand quietly at the window facing the street, in a sense of reverence for our schoolmates as they mourned their father.          

Today, we share in one of the greatest funeral processions ever: the entry of Jesus into Jerusalem. We have adopted this procession as ‘Palm Sunday.’         

Like our witnessing of the ‘sharing the memory of loved ones,’ or of our political leaders, today is a moment for us to ‘reflect on the memory of all Jesus meant’ to his community of followers.

This is our moment:

• The moment when Jesus proclaims

• The times he shared God’s love.

• The teaching moments of Jesus.

• Those moments when he called together the religious leaders.

• Of how he took time on the Sabbath to teach.

Jesus’ actions always told a story: often a story and lesson incorporated with a parable.

One of my favorite Children’s Hymn is “Tell Me the Stories of Jesus.”

• The ones I love to hear;

• Tales of the sea;

• Of how the children stood around his knee;

• His words of kindness;

• Of singing loud hosannas;

• How he taught us the care of his Father.

• Stories of Jesus tell them to me.

Today, we read Mark’s memory of that great day, when Jesus entered Jerusalem for the last week. What a week it was!          

What is truly unique about this day is, it one of the few times the four of the Gospel writers share their memory of the same event; each just a little different than the other.

This is part of the beauty. With these four accounts comes a gift for us today: today is a wonderful opportunity to imagine ourselves in that parade.         

Imagine throwing your coat on the street, or branches from palm trees (or other vegetation)! I am reminiscent of the time in our history when the traffic would stop for a funeral procession to pass by—prince or pauper.         

I remember clearly when my father died. 

I had not reached that historical age of maturity (21 years), and my memory of the cars on main street all stopped as we left the church.

Or my uncle, many years later, who died while in office as Mayor of a very small rural village. His family requested we take the ‘long route to the cemetery’—down the two blocks of their village main street. But just as we saw yesterday—there were people standing on the sidewalks, while that procession passed by.      

Many of us will remember when Prime Minister Diefenbaker requested a trip across Canada via CN Rail. Of more recent memory, is that of Queen Elizabeth II making the trip from Scotland to London.         

All of this demands a question: ‘Who is this man riding into town on a donkey, a colt?’         

Is this Jesus? Is this Jesus, this descendant of David, to be ‘great king’? Is he coming to take up the throne? Just who is this man riding on a colt?         

OR,

‘Is this truly the long-awaited Messiah? Is this one ‘for whom prophets of old spoke of?’ Is Jesus going to bring deliverance to the nation?         

Fred Craddock, one of the great theologians of my time, suggests Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem may have been seen as a “protest march.” (Do you ever think of that?)

For remember, Jesus certainly questioned the authorities of the day, and traditions of ‘who may sit at the same table,’ of ‘who would be included in the kingdom,’ of the ‘abuses of society’ – some of which continue to this day.         

Now, here he comes—with this great throng of people surrounding him, into the political capital of the day. Just imagine—for a moment—what the leaders of the day must have thought!          

Why, even his followers were not aware of just what this parade was about. Only later would they understand.         

One more thing, I am sure it was only Jesus who truly understood this was a funeral procession.          

The symbolism of this day is summed up in all those sayings of Jesus, when he says, ‘I have not come to….’

To what we learn, that Jesus came:

• to save sinners;

• to do the will of the Father;

• to bring light to the world;

• to bring eternal joy;

• to give his life a ransom for many;

• to seek and save the lost;

• to serve;

• to bind up broken hearts;

• to reveal God’s glory, along with

• many other ‘to-be’s.         

Jesus comes to Jerusalem to give us ‘the true message of what it means to sacrifice.’         

I happen to believe funeral processions are created so we can, ‘in our human way’ reflect upon the sacrifice the deceased made in their life, to give us life.

Was the deceased the greatest king or queen ever, or the poorest of the poor? They each have left us great gifts. Those gifts began as sacrifice.          

Too often, though, we do not see it or understand it.          

In my reading this week, I was reminded of a great teaching moment from a rabbi. 

“It is a story of an ancient monastery, that was full at one time, of candidates for the community to become life-professed as monks and clergy. But it fell on hard times. The monks have all grown old and crochety. Their once beautiful buildings now lack repair. And, so they were questioning, “What can we do? What should we do?” The abbot decided to go and visit the old rabbi living in a hermitage in the forest for advice.          

So he went to the rabbi, and told him about all that was troubling them in the community, and said to him, “Rabbi, what can we do? What advice do you have for me?”

After listening for some time, the rabbi tells the abbot, “All I can advise you, go back to your community and say the rabbi tells me, the Messiah is among us.”          

From that time on, the members of the community began to change and treat each other with great respect, acts of kindnesss—because, they were not sure who was the Messiah?  

(Who is the Messiah, sitting in our parish on Sunday morning? Who would be here as someone we might recognize as the Messiah?)

Soon the fortunes of the monastery changed. They noticed that the people were returning back to their property and coming and worshipping in their space and coming to them for prayer and spiritual consultation—the community grew once again, and candidates joined the monastery and it became a really wonderful success.         

Thanks to the rabbi’s gift, the community once more gained a vibrant new life.

Like those we honour in our life, Jesus calls us to ‘honour him in his triumphal entry into Jerusalem.’          

Today, is our day to take a moment before the crucifixion, to reflect on all Jesus has taught us: to reflect on the very fact that Jesus does reside in this space today,  Time for us to remember him daily in our lives.          

Reminding us of the great gospel hymn:

“Lord, remember me when You come into Your kingdom
Lord, remember me when You come into Your kingdom.”

Amen.

Let Us Pray

Trusting in God’s promise to reconcile all things, let us pray for the church, the well-being of creation, and a world in need.

Blessed One, today the church sings glad hosannas as we enter Holy Week.
Prepare us to bear witness to Christ’s suffering and death endured for our sake. Gather your people around the cross and comfort us with resurrection hope. 
Hear us, O God, for Your mercy is great.

Renew your good creation and protect the balance of life on earth.
Encourage the work of foresters, scientists, arborists, gardeners, and river-keepers. We pray for the health of pollinating insects, songbirds, and native plants.
Hear us, O God, for Your mercy is great.

Establish peace and justice among the nations.
Hold to account any with authority to judge others. Grant that courts, legislatures, and local governments will serve with integrity and compassion.
Hear us, O God, for Your mercy is great.

Bring hope to any who feel forsaken or forgotten.
Make a way for refugees and asylum seekers. Reunite families enduring separation. We pray for any who are incarcerated, institutionalized, or in foster-care, that they may know your love. In  our Parish we continue to pray for; Gail, Sue, John, Sheila, and those on our hearts. 
Hear us, O God, for Your mercy is great.

Give energy and joy to our priest, Rev. Brian, our deacon, Rev. Trish, our music leader, Ginette. Bless baptismal candidates, their sponsors, confirmands, and teachers. Watch over all who travel.
Hear us, O God, for Your mercy is great.

Blessed One, our times are in your hand.
Sustain us in discipleship throughout our lives and receive us into everlasting  ife. 
Hear us, O God, for Your mercy is great.

Accompany us on our journey, God of grace, and receive the prayers of our hearts, through Jesus Christ, our Saviour. Amen.

As our saviour taught us to pray, we say:

Our Father,
Who art in heaven, hallowed be thy name, Thy kingdom come, thy will be done on earth as in heaven.  Give us today our daily bread.  Forgive us our trespasses, as we forgive those who trespass against us. And lead us not into temptation, but deliver us fom evil.   For thine is the kingdom, the power and the glory, forever and ever.  Amen.

And the Peace of God, 
which passes all understanding, 
keep your hearts and minds in the knowledge
of the love of God, and of His Son, Jesus Christ our Lord.

And the blessing of God almighty, the Father, the Son, and the Holy Spirit, be among you, and remain with you, always.  Amen.   

Heavenly Father:
We give You thanks that each week,
You have satisfied our hunger for your faith as we share in the Eucharistic meal. And through that, our faith is strengthened. And through the death and resurrection of your Son, we too understand the gift of sacrifice, and turn that gift into service.
In Jesus' Name,  Amen.