The following is a link to our reading for today:
Matthew 21:1-11
We human beings are a fickle lot. We love our leaders when they promise to bring us good things, and we quickly turn on them when we discover that we might have to change in order for those good things to come about. We love our leaders when they inspire us, and we turn on them when we discover that what they are promising will not lead us back to some distant past that has been glorified in our memories.
We can see examples of this phenomenon all around us in the world today. We want good, affordable health care, but we don't want to change anything in our own lives to get it. We want to be number one in the world in everything--manufacturing, education, etc., but we don't want to change anything in our own communities or to pay a dime more in taxes to get it. We want schools that are safe for our children, but we don't even want to talk about the culture of violence in our country. We want things to be different without changing anything. We blame our politicians for not doing anything and not having a backbone and then we vote them out of office if they do speak honestly, and if they push us to change something in ourselves.
We can see this in churches. We know that most religious institutions, whether they be liberal or conservative, are struggling right now. We blame it on the economy or a morally lax population. But the reality is it is probably not due to either of those things. The reality is that the world is changing and religious institutions haven't quite grasped the enormity of this change. So, we call clergy to our congregations and we tell them, "We want to grow!" What we often mean is, we want more money so that we can stay the way we are. When we hear from our new clergy that we will have to change if we wish to grow, we get upset. We are fickle creatures.
We can see examples of this phenomenon all around us in the world today. We want good, affordable health care, but we don't want to change anything in our own lives to get it. We want to be number one in the world in everything--manufacturing, education, etc., but we don't want to change anything in our own communities or to pay a dime more in taxes to get it. We want schools that are safe for our children, but we don't even want to talk about the culture of violence in our country. We want things to be different without changing anything. We blame our politicians for not doing anything and not having a backbone and then we vote them out of office if they do speak honestly, and if they push us to change something in ourselves.
We can see this in churches. We know that most religious institutions, whether they be liberal or conservative, are struggling right now. We blame it on the economy or a morally lax population. But the reality is it is probably not due to either of those things. The reality is that the world is changing and religious institutions haven't quite grasped the enormity of this change. So, we call clergy to our congregations and we tell them, "We want to grow!" What we often mean is, we want more money so that we can stay the way we are. When we hear from our new clergy that we will have to change if we wish to grow, we get upset. We are fickle creatures.
To me this is also the story of Holy Week. It starts out on such a triumphant note.
"Blessed is the king who comes in the name of the Lord! Peace in heaven, and glory in the highest heaven!"
"Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest!"
Four days later the crowds begin to cry out against Jesus, one of his loyal followers betrays him, and the next day he is arrested. By the end of the week the shouts of "hosanna" have changed to shouts of "Crucify him! Crucify him!" And crucify him they did.
We human beings want easy answers, quick fixes, and a return to the way things were. We easily recognize problems, and we want our leaders to provide us with answers that don't require much from us. But this is not reality. Most real problems require difficult solutions. If a problem has an easy solution, it isn't really a problem. We apply the solution and it is done with. Real problems require change on everybody's part.
"Blessed is the king who comes in the name of the Lord! Peace in heaven, and glory in the highest heaven!"
"Blessed is he who comes in the name of the Lord! Hosanna in the highest!"
Four days later the crowds begin to cry out against Jesus, one of his loyal followers betrays him, and the next day he is arrested. By the end of the week the shouts of "hosanna" have changed to shouts of "Crucify him! Crucify him!" And crucify him they did.
We human beings want easy answers, quick fixes, and a return to the way things were. We easily recognize problems, and we want our leaders to provide us with answers that don't require much from us. But this is not reality. Most real problems require difficult solutions. If a problem has an easy solution, it isn't really a problem. We apply the solution and it is done with. Real problems require change on everybody's part.
I suspect that the crowd cheering Jesus that day hoped that he would be the militarily powerful Messiah who would come and vanquish the mighty Romans, eliminate all their hardships and return Israel to its glorious past when they were the chosen ones ruling their own land. When they discover that this is not the change that Jesus has come to bring them, they get angry and they lash out. When they discover that Jesus has come to call them to transform themselves, they turn on him and cut him down.
Transformation is hard work, and this is what Jesus is calling each of us to. Jesus came into this world and healed, and taught, and fed, and comforted, and challenged and then he told his followers to do the same. He didn't say, follow me and I will do it for you. He showed his followers God's dream for the world, he showed his followers what it means to be truly human, he showed his followers how to find the peace of God that passes all understanding. Then he told them go out and do it--be the kingdom of God in this world, through everything you do show the world God's dream for the world, and then you will be transformed, you will know the peace of God that passes all understanding.
Transformation is hard work, and this is what Jesus is calling each of us to. Jesus came into this world and healed, and taught, and fed, and comforted, and challenged and then he told his followers to do the same. He didn't say, follow me and I will do it for you. He showed his followers God's dream for the world, he showed his followers what it means to be truly human, he showed his followers how to find the peace of God that passes all understanding. Then he told them go out and do it--be the kingdom of God in this world, through everything you do show the world God's dream for the world, and then you will be transformed, you will know the peace of God that passes all understanding.
So, the next time you find yourself grumbling about a leader--political, religious or otherwise--who is not fixing the problems you want fixed, ask yourself, what am I doing to find an answer to this problem? Am I willing to change something in myself to help fix the problem? If this leader tells me something I don't want to hear, will I crucify that leader for saying it? Am I open to being transformed or do I just want everyone else to change?
Transformation is hard and it is scary. When we open ourselves up to being transformed we open ourselves up to an unknown future. The way things were always seems safer, because it is a place that is known. But if the way things always were was still working, we wouldn't have any problems that needed to be solved. And the peace of God that passes all understanding lies not in the past, but instead on the other side of transformation.
"Blessed is the king who comes in the name of the Lord! Peace in heaven, and glory in the highest heaven!" Amen.
Transformation is hard and it is scary. When we open ourselves up to being transformed we open ourselves up to an unknown future. The way things were always seems safer, because it is a place that is known. But if the way things always were was still working, we wouldn't have any problems that needed to be solved. And the peace of God that passes all understanding lies not in the past, but instead on the other side of transformation.
"Blessed is the king who comes in the name of the Lord! Peace in heaven, and glory in the highest heaven!" Amen.