“HOSANNA”
Saint Matthew
21. 1-9
PALMARUM: 24 March Anno Domini 2013
Father Jay
Watson SSP
In The + Name of
Jesus
And when you drew nigh unto 67th
and Pflumm, and were come to Shawnee, unto the “mount” of Augsburg, then sent Jesus two disciples. And these two
servants of the Lord were named Law and Gospel.
If employed only as empty terms to score debating points with
sectarians, they can be less than useful, and possibly harmful. But the Law and
the Gospel are NOT stereotypical, “buzz-words”
or empty catch-phrases—they are the very breath of the Spirit giving The
God/Man’s Person and Work. They are
sharper than any two-edged sword when wielded by the Good Shepherd or one of
His under-pastors. And for you His disciples they are His very words of truth.
They light your way and show your path. The path is Christ Himself; it is The
One entering with you and for you today. Because…
You, fallen, sinful, are not always here on
the journey with the Christ. You are not daily praying to His Father and
petitioning His will be done; interceding for His kingdom and your fellow
disciples, neighbors, and enemies. You are not always bridling your tongue but
instead too often braying gossip, slanders, and insults. You are not always
helping your neighbor to improve his business and property or to keep his wife
and honor. Many times you simply leer and lust, envy and covet, malinger and
steal. Many times you resent and hate. Your
law-breaking doesn’t just make you “like
everybody else,” but rather condemns you as a traitor, a Judas, an
ungrateful spy, coward, and convicted criminal. The Law sentences you with
God’s full approval to confinement and bondage, to fetters of iron and cages of
steel. One who acts like a wild beast is
put into a corral and bound tightly.
The Lord’s other servant; His Word of Gospel
is a sweet, (aromatic, fragrant) free, gracious, smiling, warm, and tender word
of love and mercy. The evangel word speaks now to you all:
“I
love you because I chose to love you. Though there is nothing now in you that
merits My favor or attention, I of my own nature of love and sacrificial giving
deign, elect, decide to simply love you and make you Mine. I give you food and
drink, pure beautiful raiment to wear, a family that will never abandon you,
and the joy and peace that comes from health, rest, and fellowship with
eternity. You are now My disciples; My friends; My brothers and sisters; and My
Royal Priests. You are now freed from
your bonds and shackles, and liberated from your dark prison cells. You are out
of the darkness and into the Light which comes from My smiling face of care and
shelter—for you!”
And thus with Messias, you In Him, and with Him, the Palmarum
journey continues.
Messias
says unto you: “come into Augsburg’s
nave, over against you, and straightway ye shall always find a beast of burden,
a servant of Mine. For with the
seminary’s training, internship, and certification; and with you own parochial twin
disciples of calling and ordaining/installing, this servant will assist you all
this day. For My entry into your midst,
into your city of sin, sorrow, tears, and constant Lenten twilight and dusk, must now be, IS NOW, broken and open this
glorious morn, this 8th day of the week, the 1st day of
the new week—the Holy Week, the Week of My Passion!”
“Today
is not a memory or an anniversary or a scholastic, intellectual tutorial, today IT IS fulfilled that which My Prophet
Zecharias spoke by My Spirit: ‘YOU, daughter of Zion, YOU, New Testament Israel, behold your King comes to you,
meek, and sitting upon an ass, and the colt of an ass.’ I The
Christ sit upon the Old and the New—upon the Hebrew prophecies and the Greek
preachings (which soon were scribed as the fulfilled Gospels and Epistles); upon the Mysteries of Washing & Absolution,
and Eucharistic Eating & Drinking.”
You came, you will come, and you do as your Jesus commands you. The Holy
Ghost has gathered you by This Word, enlightened you, and keeps you around the
Messias’ Body, Blood, and Word.
Placed upon a donkey, are the clothes of
HIS office—in the stead and by the command. The beast of burden carries a burden which is
no weight, but rather a joy that makes the yoke easy to bear. The beast brings
you + invocation, collect, pericopes of Evangel, words of + absolution, and
hands and tongue to invite and feed you Your Master the very guest of honor at
this parade of life!
In this banquet throng, in this celebratory
entrance to the very throne-room of the Blessed Trinity, your own repentance,
good works, and joyous thanksgiving, coupled with your alms and hymns, are the
most fitting and salutary garments and palm branches.
Hear
Him ye His martyr band:
“I
ride in to your company as your Lord and God. I process in through your aisle to
My chancel and sanctuary of salvation. I mount My New Testament Hilltop to feed
you once more with that which I suffered and gave for you on My altar crucifix.
This day of Palms I spread My punctured
palms, my wrists split by spikes of sin, and I cover you with forgiveness and
life.
Hosanna for I AM the Son of David, the Son of My Father and yours.”
And you join with your brothers and sisters
and all the pilgrim multitudes and repeat:
“Hosanna, Hosanna, Hosanna; blessed is He Who is my Lord. Hosanna in the
highest.”
In The Name of
The Father and + of The Son, and of The Holy Ghost
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