A day of dissonance

This Sunday is what is now called Palm / Passion Sunday. When I was little it was simply Palm Sunday, as it still is in many churches, but the exponential increase in busy-ness, working hours, everything, means many people are simply unable to attend a Good Friday service. It is tempting to fulminate against a lax and disinterested generation but that is both futile and (generally) unfair. The good folks who put together the Revised Common Lectionary took a different tack by adding Good Friday oriented readings to the last Sunday before Easter Sunday. This ensures that people who have a habit and ability to attend services on Sunday will still be given the opportunity to reflect on that aspect of Holy Week. This is all well and good and, no matter what I may have thought in the past, is a compassionate and reasonably response. It can make it harder for worship leaders and preachers.

In the past I suspect I have leaned too much in one or the other direction — PALM / passion Sunday or palm / PASSION Sunday — I’m only human after all. This year what struck me was how much the cognitive dissonance of Palms and Passion resembled the life we all live. What I was trying to look at was how do we fit into this peculiar, two direction Sunday. I hope you find some new ways of thinking in these sermons.

Knox Presbyterian What do we think about today?

St. Mark’s Presbyterian What do we think about today?

By the way, if you take a look at the reading for today and add in the fact that we sang five hymns at each service and had some special music at Knox you will understand why these are some of the shortest sermons I’ve ever put up here.

Warm blessings,