Comments on: Messianic Prophecy and the Meaning of Palm Sunday

By: blt

blt — Wed, 19 Mar 2008 01:08:21 +0000

Bradley,
Nice post. You were able to make your point without getting too ham-fisted about modern correlations to Pilate and empire-building, which somewhat disappointed me, but effectively kept the peace for the Holy Week.
I have a question, which I’ve asked many before and never been quite pleased with. Christ on a mule has always struck me as somewhat humorous, if not ironic. My interpretation here is somewhat akin to the effect that Gob creates when he rides up on his Segway. (Anyone who doesn’t catch this reference needs to repent). Except, rather than the rider being a banned-magician/$4000 dollar suit wearer, it is John McCain riding up for his inauguration speech. Better yet, maybe it’s a Vespa and an over-sized helmet decorated with the American flag.
Is there a symbolic meaning to the mode of transport here? I’ve often heard that it is a sign of kingship. If so, where can I read about it? Is the mule a part of the Zecharia prophecy? If so, would the non-Hebrews have picked up on the meaning, or would they have chuckled like I do? If so, does that make me a wicked person?
In other words, I’m kind of reading this like Jesus as a sort of bearded Stephen Colbert provocateur. Is there any weight to this or do I just need to grow up?

By: meems

meems — Mon, 17 Mar 2008 15:52:44 +0000

19 years ago I was living in So. America when my husband of not even 4 months came in with giant palm fronds. Kids were selling them on street corners. I was aghast and felt they were akin to idolatrous worship. It’s funny how we are taught/led to shun religious “props” to such an extent that I actually feared a palm frond in my house on Palm Sunday.

By: Antonio Parr

Antonio Parr — Mon, 17 Mar 2008 15:01:56 +0000

Ronan –

Thanks for the perspective, which appears to answer my question.

Historical framework notwithstanding, I still fail to see how we are diminished in any way as a people by setting aside time each year to honor certain key events in Christ’s life, just as we do for Pioneer Day; milestone events in the life of Joseph Smith; etc.

The fact that the events of Holy Week are not unique to Latter-Day Saints should not make them any less valued. I would love to have back-to-back Sacrament meetings each Easter season (i.e., Palm Sunday and Easter) that focus exclusively on the passion of Christ and His infinite atonement. Such an approach to worship would be in fulfillment of 2 Ne. 25:26, which admonishes us to talk of Christ and rejoice in Christ, and teach our children that He is the source of their salvation.

It seems like such a simple (and correct) step to take.

By: RonanJH

RonanJH — Mon, 17 Mar 2008 14:51:33 +0000

Antonio,
I think it’s culture-historical. I was just reading yesterday that the English Reformation banned “Roman Catholic” holidays such as Palm Sunday. The Church of England has only recovered these observances in the last century or so. I imagine the dour Protestant well from which Mormonism sprang was similarly averse to such formal observances.

By: Antonio Parr

Antonio Parr — Mon, 17 Mar 2008 14:45:24 +0000

Out of more than mild curiousity, has anyone ever heard a credible explanation for the LDS practice of breaking ranks with our non-LDS Christian brothers and sisters when it comes to the acknowledgement of “Holy Week”? Why no references to Palm Sunday? Why no commemoration of Holy Thursday (especially given the importance that Latter-Day Saints place on the Sacrament and Gesthemane)? Why is Good Friday — the day of our Lord’s death — not marked with solemn observance? And why do some LDS congregations at times ignore Easter Sunday altogether?

We are such a missionary-minded Church — have we ever pondered the negative impact that this neglect of Holy Week has upon Christian friends who may be considering joining our Church? How far can we go with a message of “come join us, the one and only true church of Christ, but be prepared to leave behind Palm Sunday, Holy Thursday, Good Friday, and, depending on your congregation, Easter Sunday”?

In my humble (but very passionate!) opinion, we are shooting ourselves in the foot with this one.

By: Nate McConkie

Nate McConkie — Mon, 17 Mar 2008 10:55:30 +0000

Great thought! Thanks Brad.

By: Cici

Cici — Mon, 17 Mar 2008 04:43:40 +0000

6, 10 & 15: Here! Here!

I felt like I was the only one. Today, my children and I attended a church of the faith I grew up in for this exact reason. We will go again on Easter. It’s both good to know I’m not the only one and sad too.

Brad’s post is the spiritual feast such an ocassion warrants, and I hope somebody received something like it in their ward, but in the last 17 years, all I’ve seen is “Please pass the Spam and Potato Pearls” week after week, regardless.

By: Cathy

Cathy — Mon, 17 Mar 2008 04:29:53 +0000

joshua madson, the Cathedral of the Madeleine downtown (331 E. South Temple) is beautiful, but you will need to get there early for Holy Week services. Links are allowed, right? http://www.saltlakecathedral.org

By: JA Benson

JA Benson — Mon, 17 Mar 2008 03:51:33 +0000

Lovely Brad. Just the sermon I craved today, but did not receive except with the ‘nacle.

Ditto #15 Antonio Parr

By: Antonio Parr

Antonio Parr — Mon, 17 Mar 2008 03:06:56 +0000

“If there is anything virtuous, lovely, or of good report or praiseworthy, we seek after these things”
13th Article of Faith

“Keep everything that you’ve got that’s good and true, which is much. Let us add to what you already have — what we consider to be the fullness of the faith, including much more information about Jesus.”
Neil Maxwell to Hugh Hewitt in Searching for God in America.

In light of the above, why is it that we don’t celebrate Palm Sunday or Holy Week?!? Why is that we have to seek out the worship services of other Christian denominations in order to share in the fellowship of communal acknowledgement of these absolutely crucial events? I remain absolutely bewildered over this, and mourn the opportunities that we are squandering by a “business as usual” approach to the events surrounding the atonement. (The Book of Mormon prophets — especially Nephi — would be aghast over our casual approach to the Easter season.)