The Palm Sunday, 2020

The palms and branches on our walkaway at home leading to the gate became a symbol for Anna  and myself, of what people did (v.8) while Jesus was preparing to go to Jerusalem from Bethphage. (Mat.21:1-17) Jesus set out from his village to Jerusalem for the final mission of His life.

When I took this photo, the shade of trees between our home and the gate became a symbol of all that happened between the Palm Sunday and Easter at that time for Jesus of Nazareth. Those events were: the last passover meal with the disciples, Judas's bargain, garden of Gethsemane, Jesus before Caiaphas, Peter's dentil, Judas's remorse, trial before Plate, the crucifixion, burial and the disciples deserting except a few women deserting Jesus!

From the time Jesus entered the temple on the Palm Sunday, 'all the city was stirred' (v10), saying 'who is this'! The multitude said: 'This is the prophet Jesus from Nazareth of Galilee. 

It is a prophet who faced the plot of the Jewish authority to kill Him (Mat. 26: 1- to Chap.27). Jesus entered Jerusalem, riding on a donkey only to go on a journey through a dark tunnel starting from his first encounter with the merchandise at the temple. He ordered that 'buying and selling' stop in the temple and the temple be restored to be a 'house of prayer'. 

So the message of the Palm Sunday is about this merchandise that we too are engaged in, even as the followers of Jesus. What is this merchandise for us today!  

We have a vivd picture of this merchandise in Mat.22 in the parable of the marriage feast. Those who were invited did not turn up (v1-5). So the invitation was extended to all people living in the highways (v.9) to bring in as many as could be found.

Why does this represent a merchandise! The King invited all those whom he knew and were placed in his orbit of contact. They failed the king by not turning up for his son's wedding. We are inclined socially and emotionally to stay within the orbit of our social and communal contacts. We do it to strengthen our position, enlarge our influence, and create a solidarity for security. It is a normal way for most of us, because that is the way we make our position and influence visible. In fact, our status is measured by the company we keep. Whose friends we are and whom do we know as high level contacts describe our order in social hierarchy. We pursue this way of living and pursuing relationship, because it gives us a lot in return. The social security it offers is a self promoting gainful  future. We indulge in this happily. We have a merchant's attitude, 'How to sell a product to make a good gain'! This attitude can hide deep within us. How to influence people in order to gain something from them in return! How to impress people in order to receive more benefits! This has even got a polished terminology now, 'Public relationship skill' and is taught in Business schools to dream for success. To promote oneself and climb the ladder is therefore the 'normal' aspiration of the many in our social milieu. This is merchandise. 

In contrast to this, is the second part of this parable. All the people in the highways were called for the party. They were people from whom the King would not gain much! I am not even sure if those invited from the highways would pay complements  to the king as they were not his primary invitees. The king suddenly lost all those whom he kept as his crutches of support and had to turn to those from whom he would not have any subsequent benefits! The new invitees would not have the temperament or goodwill or resources to pay back the king. This is true hospitality. The parable focusses on this attitude of an inclusive consideration of those who normally would escape our attention. Those beyond the horizon of normal association are the people who would need our hospitality! It was grace in action because the king in this parable offered an unmerited favour to those whom he had not known before or ignored initially.

Would we not get exhausted when we practice hospitality or feel used! This parable has a reference to this also. The king saw a man among his new invitees, without the wedding clothes.(v.12) and was sent out instantly(v.13). His error of judgement was that he did not discern the 'demands' of hospitality and courtesy expected of him to honour the host (v.14). When we are engaged in practicing hospitality towards those who are ordinarily left out, it is important to gauge their willingness to be responsive and accountable to what is offered to them. In counselling, if a counsele fails to be responsive the counsellor is obliged to close the contract. In any relationship, if there is a spirit of cynicism, arrogance, pressure or demanding or forceful behaviour, then that relationship carries an unhealthy ambience.

I am glad that this parable that refers to merchandise and hospitality also includes in its narration, a third dimension of accountability.  

I do not know whether we are in the habit of auditing our relationships! Is our relationship a form of merchandise! Is it hospitality! If most of our relationships are hospitality oriented, do we audit if others fall short of their accountability and turn to be manipulative!

Jesus overturned the tables of those engaged in merchandise during his temple visit. Jesus visits our temple now, which is our life on another Plan Sunday. Let us give Him freedom to free us from our merchandise; let us consider the scope of hospitality. Let us stay free of being used!

For Anna and me the palm leaves became a symbol of the journey of Jesus to the temple of human lives. But the closed gate in the photo above, at the end of the walkway has also some significance for us to consider. The journey into hospitality is hindered by the closed gate. For Jesus, that gate was the cross where His end came. But even that end was only tentative. The resurrection undid the finality of the end or the permanency of the closed gate.

We are likely to suffer while engaged in practicing hospitality or lose our wellness or encounter loneliness. But that too is transitional. There is something beyond that because while doing good or offering hospitality to others inclusively, we are in God's terrain. God keeps His word, 'I am with you always....'! The closed gate might take a long time to open or might not open at all. But there are spaces in between the bars of the gate, for us to spread goodness and empowering hospitality to all
around us!

The parable of Merchandise is also a parable of hospitality and accountability! It is a theme to dwell on, during the Holy Week.

M.C.Mathew(text and photo)