Palm Sunday according to Mark 11

This Sunday in the lectionary is Palm Sunday, the week before Easter, and here in Year B we are offered the choice between reading the account in Mark 11 and John 12. I am going to look at Mark 11, since we have been doing a lot in the Fourth Gospel in recent weeks, and …

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Palm Sunday in Matthew 21

It is always a relief when we celebrate Palm Sunday from Matthew (as we do in this Year A in the lectionary) or Mark’s account (next year). Luke 19.36 in his account talks only about the garments, and does not mention palm branches, so in those years we have to call it Garment Sunday (which …

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Born to be King…?

Two boys were born with the hope they would one day be king. This one was born to great public expectations and rejoicing. The other was an embarrassment and a source of shame, born illegitimate to an unmarried mother. This one attracted global media attention, with people all around the world waiting the moment. The …

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