Palms

PALMS

(Based on Matt 21: 1-11, Luke 19: 28-44 & Zech 9: 9-10)

A holy pilgrimage to celebrate

The Hebrew Passover, and to recall

When the Angel of Death, in days long past

In Egypt’s foreign land, which had become

A hostile snare, ruled by oppressive hands,

Struck down the first-born of Egyptian birth.

The blood of lambs that pleaded to the skies,

For death’s dark angel to pass over all

The Israelites, did spare their lives, so that,

Spared from the striking down of the first-born

And from the cruel Egyptian tyranny,

Went to a Promised Land flowing with milk

And honey, this was their inheritance

As promised to their forefathers which now

From Yahweh’s hand was given unto them.

But now, a Lamb, unblemished, made His way

With his disciples to that holy place

Jerusalem, in preparation for

A sacrifice most holy which would take

Once and for all the sins of humankind

Away from Yahweh’s presence and to free

Us all from the captivity of sin.

At Bethphage two disciples were sent by

The Lamb of God to a village where they

Would find a donkey as yet unridden

And which was needed by the Lamb of God

To mark His entry to Jerusalem.

This was to fulfil prophecy foretold

By Zechariah, that the Daughter of

Zion would see her king that comes unto

Her, gentle and riding upon a beast

Of burden, on a colt, a gentle foal.

And He, the king, would scatter chariots

Of Ephraim, and war-horses put to flight

Out from Jerusalem, and He would break

The battle-bow and so proclaim peace to

The nations, His rule would extend to all,

From sea to sea, and mighty Euphrates

Unto the ends of all the earth. But now

The journey He now makes upon the colt.

No stranger is He to the gentle beast

For yet, by paradox, the first journey

Unknown would have been to Him, for He was

At that time, being carried in the womb;

In secret did he lie until his birth

Was proclaimed, now the path to death He rode

To make a temple dwelling in the hearts

Of humankind who would but welcome Him

To stay and sup with Him and He with them.

Yet great there was a crowd that had gathered

To welcome Him, a noise of rejoicing

And acclamation, hailing Him as once

The psalmist said: “Blessed is He who comes

In the name of the Lord! Hosanna in

The highest!” So they shouted, laying down

Their cloaks upon the ground. Yet others climbed

The trees to cut the branches down and lay

The branches mingled with the cloaks to make

A royal carpet of lush verdancy

Majestic road unto Jerusalem!

Alas poor city, you were unable

To recognise the man from Galilee

Your eyes were blinded to the prophecy

Of Zechariah, foretold long ago

Now fulfilled before you. Before the gates,

The Lamb of God, with sorrow in His heart,

Broke down and wept, mindful was He of what

The prophet had foretold concerning peace,

But now it was hidden from them and they

Would be ensnared, hemmed in from every side,

Their enemies would dash them to the ground,

Not one would be spared, all would be cut down

Who lived within the walls of that city.

Jerusalem itself would be destroyed,

A scattering of stones upon the ground,

A memory of what once was but would

No more be, human blindness to the Lord’s

Coming among them. Thus the Lamb’s entry

Was not of palms and branches made, rather

Of human cruelty yet which would take

Away the consequences of sin and

Restore us in the sight of Him who made

And loves us. Blessèd be His name for all

Time and for evermore. Amen. Amen.

Copyright 2020 Peter Thompson TSSF.