"O Love divine, what hast thou done! The immortal God hath died for me! The Father's co-eternal Son bore all my sins upon the tree. Thy immortal God for me hath died: My Lord, my Love, is crucified!" - United Methodist Hymnal, no. 287.
It must have been a roller coaster of a week! It began with shouts of "Hosanna" as Jesus, astride a small donkey, entered Jerusalem. Palm branches, symbolizing royalty, not only were waved, but were strewn before him on the dusty road as were cloaks and robes. The atmosphere must have been giddy, and the excitement palpable. For many in the crowd, it may have been their first glimpse of the man about whom they had heard so much. Yet, among the crowd, too, were those not so enchanted by his presence. And, in their minds, they would have the last laugh.
After reaching the top, the roller coaster of a week began its precipitous descent toward the Sabbath. The city was teeming with people from many outlying areas, as well as from other places, who had come to Jerusalem to celebrate the Passover. Could anyone have thought that what began so triumphantly would end the way it did? The one received with loud shouts of hosanna was abandoned by even his closest followers as he hung on the cross.
Have you ever had a roller coaster week? Most likely we all have had one at some time or the other. What begins with such joy may end in great tragedy and sadness. It might be an unexpected job loss. Or maybe our spouse surprises us with the statement that they want out of the marriage. It could be the sudden death via an accident of a loved one. We might feel crushed, lost and alone. Where is God in the midst of such tragedy? Like Jesus, we may cry out, "My God, my God, why have you abandoned me?" (Mk. 15:34, my translation).
The end of the roller coaster ride could be just an unsatisfactory conclusion to what we thought had promise of being something good. The job we didn't get. The relationship that doesn't work out. A friendship that fails to blossom. And on and on. Life is filled with disappointment, and when they happen to us, our discouragement may know no bounds. We've been let down by one in whom we've placed our trust, or have experienced an unsatisfactory end to something that had held such promise.
The late Peggy Lee said in a song: "Is this all there is?" Is that our question? Do we see only bleakness and hopelessness? Is our life so unsatisfactory that we see it as not worth living? As they stood looking at Jesus' bleeding body hanging on the cross, the women may have felt these pangs of distress and disappointment. "O Love divine, what has thou done!" But, you and I know the end of the story. We know that after the bleakness and darkness of Friday comes the glory of Sunday. But that's for another column. See you on this Holy Week journey.
Grace and peace,
Mike
March 29, 2015