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In touch

Up-to-the-minute jumping-off points for sermons, linking the reading to the latest news and global issues

A powerful sign

The victim becomes the sign: ‘The stone which the builders rejected has become the chief corner-stone.’ (Psalm 118. 22).

 

Context

The total degradation and shame of crucifixion outside the walls of Jerusalem was intended to show that Jesus had been completely rejected. Instead, it shames all who were complicit in his death.

• Every newspaper recounts this horror.
• The horrific strip-searching of a black schoolgirl shames both the police who carried this out and her teachers who failed to defend the pupil in their care.
• Murders of Bibaa Henry and Nicole Smallman were not immediately investigated by police after they went missing (see Wikipedia). Police officers shared ‘inappropriate' photos of the victims.
• At a vigil of women over the murder of Sarah Everard, women were abused by police who broke up the peaceful show of solidarity. Patsy Steveson’s photo, with her red hair, on the ground and held by police became the focus of a protest against police cruelty.
• The murder of George Floyd during police arrest and the manner of his killing sparked ‘black lives matter’ protests throughout the world.

 

Reflection and ideas for a sermon, talk or conversation

The unveiling of abuses by those in power reflects Mary’s Magnificat which declares ‘He has brought down the powerful from their thrones, and lifted up the lowly’ (Luke 1.51). The stories listed are of defenceless victims of gratuitous brutality. Their names, and the X for the girl strip-searched, ring out to us just as the name of Jesus is proclaimed to all the world even from the cross.

Briefly, we see on Palm Sunday, that the man who will shortly be put to death on the cross is indeed acclaimed as the promised Messiah. But the treatment he receives once arrested (‘Herod with his soldiers treated him with contempt and mocked him’, Luke 23.11) is mirrored by the treatment of people abused today. The stories cry out to heaven for truth to be told and for justice to be done. The verdict of the centurion at the cross (Luke 23.47), is echoed by many who expose wrongdoing today.

 

Questions for discussion

• We know of China’s abuse of its own Ughur people and repression of Hong Kong residents. Russia’s war on Ukraine includes clear evidence of genocide. Saudi Arabia executes and murders those who expose wrongdoing. Are we too dependent on these countries to make any realistic protest?
• In John’s Gospel significant events are described as ‘signs’. Are there events in our own days which you would described as ‘signs’ which change or focus public opinion on wrongdoing.
• The centurion at the cross said Jesus was ‘innocent’. Who has been an innocent victim today?

Tom Ambrose is an Anglican priest in the Parish of the Ascension, Cambridge.

 

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Connecting faith with everyday, real-life issues for young people

Light rain and a fresh breeze.

Gusty wind and light rain showers.

Heavy rain and fresh breeze.

RAIN!

RAIN!

RAIN!

At this time of the year as school holidays are fast approaching, we can begin to look for signs that spring is duly warming up and the summer is at least beginning to think of arriving in the next couple of months.

A couple of days of sunshine and suddenly up and down the country people are excavating their shorts from the back of the wardrobe. However, one look at the weather forecast reminds us not to get our hopes up and sends us back from our shorts to our thermals. Once more we’re scanning the weather apps in hope of a sign that some sun might show up in the not-so-distant future.

The story of Palm Sunday is about people who had been looking for a sign for a long time. They’d been waiting and hoping for a messiah to arrive and free them from Roman occupation. When Jesus arrived on the colt, there would have been plenty who understood this as a symbol of the Messiah. But there had been so many false dawns and big promises before – why would this time be any different? Little did they know that Jesus was about to fulfil the promise of this sign, in ways they couldn’t even imagine.

It can be difficult to keep looking for a sign; from waiting for a sign that a sick loved one is getting better, to the hope that peace might prevail in Ukraine. And yet Palm Sunday reminds us to keep looking for signs that things will change, that things will get better, that our Saviour is already here and at work. 

Chris Neilands is the co-founder of Play it by Ear, a Belfast-based drama company that uses performance and workshop to help people explore the Bible.

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