Today is Palm Sunday which begins Holy week in the Christian calendar. It's followed by Maundy Thursday, Good Friday and Easter. It remembers Jesus' return to Jerusalem at the end of his mission riding a donkey. Everyone waved palm branches and shouted hosanna. Three days later the mob went from shouting Hosanna to crucify him. So what happened?
Biblical prophecies were fulfilled. I saw a funny skit about the terminator trying to save Jesus which concluded with the saying, don't worry, he'll be back. When I was young, a Punjabi coworker once asked me, why do they call it Good Friday if that was the day Jesus was killed? I just said it's complicated.
It's kind of a difficult concept to explain. How someone can atone for the sins of another and make it possible for them to be resurrected. Yet it's an important concept. Although it doesn't diminish the necessity to do good and accept responsibility for our choices, it demonstrates the compassion of Christ.
Just as many people misinterpret Jesus' teachings as there are false prophets trying to lead people away from them. The fundamental principle of Christianity is the same as every other religion. Be good do good.
Today I heard someone mention palm Sunday and instead of remembering palm branches they suggested remembering the palms of Jesus' hands. We remember the story of doubting Thomas. After Christ was crucified he appeared to Mary and the Apostles. Thomas wasn't there and said I don't believe it. Unless I thrust my hands into his side and feel the nail prints in his hands myself I will not believe it.
Later Christ appeared to Thomas as well and let him feel the nail prints in his hands. So this Palm Sunday we reflect on the palms of Jesus which carry the nail prints of the cross.
Isaiah 49:14-16 states "But Zion said, The Lord hath forsaken me, and my Lord hath forgotten me. Can a woman forget her sucking child, that she should not have compassion on the son of her womb? yea, they may forget, yet will I not forget thee. Behold, I have graven thee upon the palms of my hands; thy walls are continually before me"
In today's world Zion refers to Gaza, Lebanon and West Bank. Those who suffer. Zion means the pure in heart. It refers to people striving to aspire to something higher. Zionism is a term the devil stole to rationalize doing evil in God's name. The Oasis of Peace is true Zionism. Murder to get gain is not.
Bruce R McConkie was diagnosed with terminal cancer. In his final testimony he said all the horrifying pains of Gethsemane returned for the last three hours Christ hung on the cross where he saw, felt and experienced all the pains suffering and sins of the world. That explains Isaiah's prophecy.
Maundy Thursday remembers the Last Supper that Michael Angelo painted and was highlighted in the Da Vinci code where Jesus washed his apostles feet. The Pope still upholds this tradition as do some other Christian denominations.
Christian service is such a simple concept. Bombing civilians and stealing their land is ungodly. Committing genocide is Satanic. We don't need a religion to spell that out for us. It's plain for everyone to see. So why do we complicate things? Why do we distort the truth with lies?
