Lazarus Saturday PALM SUNDAY and PalmSunday Reading and... · 2013-04-21 · Lazarus Saturday and...
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Lazarus Saturday and Palm Sunday LAZARUS SATURDAY AND PALM SUNDAY There were very few visible, earthly tri- umphs in the life of Jesus Clrrist. At His birth there was "no room at the inn." He grew as the son of Mary," suggesting that His mother was a widow: He was raised in the town of Nazareth, of which it was said: "Can anything good come out of Nazareth?" (John 1:46). His associates were virtual unknowns. He died among thieves and was laid to rest in the tomb of another man. .A Tim.c of Triumph Only one short-lived weekend in His life stands out as a time of clearly perceivable, earthly triumph. This was the weekend known today in the Church as Lazarus Saturday and Palm Sunday. These were days of triumph in which Christ Himself . played a deliberate part. On Lazarus Saturday He miraculously raised His friend Lazarus from the dead in a manner specifically aimed at "the people standing by, that they might believe that thou didst send me" (John 11 :42). On Palm Sunday He Himself sent for the colt on which He would enter Jerusalem. His entry +was one:of the rareoccasions during which- He permitted Hirnselfto be publicly hailed as the Son of David and King ofIsrael: the Messiah. Lazarus Saturday Six days before His own death, Jesus went to His dead friend Lazarus at Bethany outside of Jerusalem. He was answering an appeal made to Him several days earlier. He knew of the imminent death of Lazarus but purposely delayed His coming. To his disciples He said "For your sake I am glad that I was not there, so that you may believe" (John 11:14). By the time Jesus arrived, the situation seemed hopeless: Lazarus was already dead four days. The fact that Lazarus was already dead four days is emphasized in the Gospel account as well as in the liturgical hymns of the feast. The fourday period of burial underscored the horrible reality of death: the corruption of the body had commenced. It is in the face of this awesome reality that, as the Gospel records with such simplicity, "Jesus wept" (John 11:35). Jesus had already stated to Martha, the sister of Lazarus, that He is ''the resurrection and the life"; He was fully conscious of His power over death, and still He wept. He wept on seeing the terrible fate of His friend. Bethany at that moment represented the whole world. Lazarus was His friend -all of mankind. Christ wept on seeing what had -':·happened to the whole of creation, "made., through him" (John 1 :3) to be full of life
Transcript of Lazarus Saturday PALM SUNDAY and PalmSunday Reading and... · 2013-04-21 · Lazarus Saturday and...
Lazarus Saturdayand
Palm Sunday
LAZARUS SATURDAYAND
PALM SUNDAY
There were very few visible, earthly tri-umphs in the life of Jesus Clrrist. At Hisbirth there was "no room at the inn." Hegrew as the son of Mary," suggesting thatHis mother was a widow: He was raised inthe town of Nazareth, of which it was said:"Can anything good come out ofNazareth?" (John 1:46). His associates werevirtual unknowns. He died among thievesand was laid to rest in the tomb of anotherman.
.A Tim.c of Triumph
Only one short-lived weekend in His lifestands out as a time of clearly perceivable,earthly triumph. This was the weekendknown today in the Church as LazarusSaturday and Palm Sunday. These weredays of triumph in which Christ Himself
. played a deliberate part.
On Lazarus Saturday He miraculouslyraised His friend Lazarus from the dead in amanner specifically aimed at "the peoplestanding by, that they might believe thatthou didst send me" (John 11 :42). On PalmSunday He Himself sent for the colt onwhich He would enter Jerusalem. His entry
+was one:of the rareoccasions during which-He permitted Hirnselfto be publicly hailed
as the Son of David and King ofIsrael: theMessiah.
Lazarus Saturday
Six days before His own death, Jesus wentto His dead friend Lazarus at Bethanyoutside of Jerusalem. He was answering anappeal made to Him several days earlier. Heknew of the imminent death of Lazarus butpurposely delayed His coming. To hisdisciples He said
"For your sake I am glad that I was notthere, so that you may believe" (John11:14). By the time Jesus arrived, thesituation seemed hopeless: Lazarus wasalready dead four days. The fact thatLazarus was already dead four days isemphasized in the Gospel account as well asin the liturgical hymns of the feast. Thefourday period of burial underscored thehorrible reality of death: the corruption ofthe body had commenced.
It is in the face of this awesome reality that,as the Gospel records with such simplicity,"Jesus wept" (John 11:35). Jesus hadalready stated to Martha, the sister ofLazarus, that He is ''the resurrection and thelife"; He was fully conscious of His powerover death, and still He wept. He wept onseeing the terrible fate of His friend.Bethany at that moment represented thewhole world. Lazarus was His friend -all ofmankind. Christ wept on seeing what had
-':·happened to the whole of creation, "made.,through him" (John 1 :3) to be full of life
this weekend indicates, the token of theuniversal resurrection of allmen as given
By raising Lazarus from the dead beforeThy Passion,
Thou didst confirm the universalresurrection, 0 Christ God!
Like the children with the palms ofvictory, we cry out to Thee
o Vanquisher of Death: Hosanna in thehighest!
Blessed is He that comes in the name ofthe Lord!
At the entrance into Jerusalem on PalmSunday, Jesus was the Messiah entering HisHoly City. He fulfilled the prophecy ofZechariah
"Behold, your king is coming to you,humble, and mounted on an ass, and on acolt, the foal of an ass" (Matthew 21 :5).
These events were taking place on the eveof the Passion of Christ. The Lord neverlost sight of their ominous implication. Heknew His triumph was short-lived. He wasgoing to die. He was walking into the midstof His enemies. The people soon rejectedHim. He was not the political Messiah thatmany wrongly expected. He did not cometo overthrow the Romans. His Kingdomwas not of this world.
Our Pledge
At the liturgy of Lazarus Saturday and PalmSunday we annually reaffirm our own
citizenship into the Kingdom whichwe haveentered through baptism. Lazarus Saturdayis a unique day: a resurrectional Service,normallyreserved for Sundays, is celebratedon a Saturday. The baptismal hymn is sung:"Asmany as have been baptized into Christ,have put on Christ."
Palmand pussy willow branches are blessedin the Church on Palm Sunday. We takethese branches in order to greet the King ofour lives. In effect, we are again asked thequestion addressed to us at baptism: "Doyou accept Christ?" By taking the brancheswe answer: "I accept Him as King andGod!"
On the eve of the Passion we reunite our-selvesto Christ and express our willingnessto follow Him through all things. Hisultimate triumph will then be ours.
In the world you have tribulation; but be ofgood cheer, I have overcome theworld.(John 16:33)
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