Parades. This is the third one now in 2023.
The first was in February. Mardi Gras is a major parade and celebration right before Lent. Then there was March - St. Patrick's Day is another major celebration. Both have large parades. And now, we have Palm Sunday. Jesus comes back to Jerusalem again and is proclaimed king by the throngs of people who are gathering for Passover. (This year the festival of Passover is April 5 to 13.) Jesus and his disciples have also come for this reason. And God has so much more in store for them in the week starting next Sunday. They have no idea. And I am getting ahead of myself.
The first parade I remember was loud, hot, colourful and had a great turnout. Or so it seemed to me. It was on July 12th. Yes, a long time ago. Canada was also a very different place over 60 years ago. Television was just really catching on, so parades were still part of Canada's fabric for entertainment and socialising. This was an Orange Day Parade. It was in celebration of the victory of King William and Queen Mary of Orange, who were Protestants, over King James the third, who was Roman Catholic. The battle was in Ireland and established English rule over the Irish. And the rest is history. It was a very orange coloured day with celebrations and many games afterwards.
However, parades are not only about celebrations. They are often about defeat, being held by the conquerors. They can be about politics and winning for our side. Which means they are about power and control. All of this has happened before. In 2 Samuel 6 there are opposing reactions to a parade and celebration in the streets of Jerusalem. In Matthew 19, Jesus' entry causes turmoil and unrest. In Luke 19:28-40 we again notice direct opposition. Here, it not surprising as Jesus is constantly at odds with this group. Mark 11 shows us how the opposition occurs even before the parade begins. One more comment. Of interest is John 12. This time the parade seems to be only a footnote between much bigger events.
All of this is merely the beginning. The parade is a harbinger of things to come, things that will have outcomes no one could have foreseen. I will say much more on this next week. Come, for we are all invited to join in the most momentous week in the world's history. Pr. Scott
