Sea BreezesPalm Sunday this morning dawned sunny and warm. As we gathered as a parish congregation outside our little white clapboard church with its cross atop the bell tower, I marveled at the beauty of this spring day. A breeze stirred the gray Spanish moss hanging from ancient oaks, the last pink camellias of winter were bursting into bloom, late azalea blossoms danced their turn in the breeze, and I watched. We all held our palm fronds and listened to the Liturgy of the Palms. As Father Ted called to us "Let us go forth in the name of peace" the people responded "In the name of Christ. Amen." We then began our procession into church, singing with vigor "All glory, laud, and honor to thee, Redeemer, King! to whom the lips of children made sweet hosannas ring." Like so many bodies of believers across the world, this morning we processed waving our palm fronds, singing our hosannas and remembering our Lord's triumphant procession into Jerusalem on that first Palm Sunday. Our service quickly took over the solemnity and sorrow of the Passion of our Lord. We sang this hymn this morning, and I wept.
"Ah, holy Jesus, how hast thou offended"
Ah, holy Jesus, how hast thou offended, that man to judge thee hath in hate pretended?
By foes derided, by thine own rejected, O most afflicted.
Who was the guilty? Who brought this upon thee?
Alas, my treason, Jesus, hath undone thee.
Twas I, Lord Jesus, I it was denied thee, I crucified thee.
Therefore, kind Jesus, since I cannot pay thee, I do adore thee, and will ever pray thee,
think on thy pity and thy love unswerving, not my deserving.
As we walk through this Holy Week following the Passion of our Lord, may we remember that love went to the cross for our sake. Twas I denied thee, twas I crucified thee. Today, I hang my head in shame. Father, forgive me.
Amen
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