Home 
Palms to Prayers
Welcome to Today's Worship Service
March 28, 2010Palm Sunday
Open your Bible
Light a candle
OPENING SONG
READINGS
From the Bible:
Luke 19
36As he rode along, people kept spreading their cloaks on the road. 37As he was now approaching the path down from the Mount of Olives, the whole multitude of the disciples began to praise God joyfully with a loud voice for all the deeds of power that they had seen, 38saying, “Blessed is the king who comes in the name of the Lord! Peace in heaven, and glory in the highest heaven!” 39Some of the Pharisees in the crowd said to him, “Teacher, order your disciples to stop.” 40He answered, “I tell you, if these were silent, the stones would shout out.”
Luke 22
39He came out and went, as was his custom, to the Mount of Olives; and the disciples followed him. 40When he reached the place, he said to them, “Pray that you may not come into the time of trial.” 41Then he withdrew from them about a stone’s throw, knelt down, and prayed, 42“Father, if you are willing, remove this cup from me; yet, not my will but yours be done.” 43Then an angel from heaven appeared to him and gave him strength. 44In his anguish he prayed more earnestly, and his sweat became like great drops of blood falling down on the ground. 45When he got up from prayer, he came to the disciples and found them sleeping because of grief, 46and he said to them, “Why are you sleeping? Get up and pray that you may not come into the time of trial.”
From Swedenborg:
6] By the disciples putting their garments on the ass and her colt, was represented that truths in the whole complex were submitted to the Lord as the Highest Judge and King; for the disciples represented the church of the Lord in respect to its truths and goods (n. 2129, 3488, 3858, 6397), and their garments represented the truths themselves (n. 4545, 4763, 5319, 5954, 6914, 6917, 9093) The like was represented by the multitude strewing their garments in the way, and also branches of trees. The reason why they strewed them in the way was that by "a way" is signified the truth whereby the man of the church is led (n. 627, 2333, 3477). The reason why they strewed branches of trees, was that trees signified the perceptions and also the knowledges of truth and good (n. 2682, 2722, 2972, 4552, 7692), consequently "the branches" denote the truths themselves. This was done also in conformity with a customary rite; for when the highest judges and kings rode in their solemn procession, the princes of the people then put their garments on the asses and mules, and the people themselves strewed their garments on the way, or in their place the branches of trees; for the judicial function in heaven is the Divine truth from the Divine good, and the regal one is the Divine truth (n. 1728, 2015, 2069, 3009, 4581, 4966, 5044, 5068, 6148). AC 9212
It is a fundamental error on the part of the Christian Church to believe that the passion on the cross was the real act of redemption. That error, together with the erroneous belief in three divine persons existing from eternity, has so corrupted the whole Christian Church that there is not a scrap of spirituality left in it. TC #132
MESSAGE
Palms to Prayer
It can be difficult to select a theme for a Palm Sunday message. If one goes to the Common Lectionary “Texts for this Week,” one has a choice of the Liturgy of the Palms or the Liturgy of the Passion. You can focus on the joy of the journey into Jerusalem or on the pain and agony of Jesus on the cross. In our readings today, I have included one passage from each liturgy. I’d like to focus on the prayer of Jesus in the Garden of Gethsemane; a pivotal point that turned the week starting with palms into one ending with pain and passion.
Holy Week is a long journey through many stages. Swedenborg’s process of regeneration is a long road, with much struggle, before one reaches “union.” In many ways, Holy Week is a condensed version of that journey. When you make the decision that you want to walk a spiritual path, then you are also deciding to walk through all of the bumps and pot holes in the road.
Often, our first sense of God is a glimpse of something beautiful and peaceful calling to us. To respond to the call feels joyous and liberating. At the beginning, there is excitement about beginning a new journey. There are so many hopes and dreams that lie ahead. Following God’s will is easy on Palm Sunday; riding a donkey into a cheering crowd! It’s like romantic love early in a relationship. It’s easy to make a commitment in the midst of romance. It’s harder to maintain the commitment through the years ahead filled with conflicts and compromises. Yet, it is in working through the conflicts that a much deeper mature love can blossom many years later.
In the true movie “Erin Brockovich”, Erin was excited about starting a new job in a law office. Yet, after that decision was made, it was almost inevitable that she would hear and see things that led her deeply into exposing a corporate cover-up. It started as an easy decision and then moved through some very difficult times before the ending of resolution.
By following the road into Jerusalem, Jesus has an intense week. He attends a Passover supper with his disciples, at which one of them betrays him. He goes to the Garden of Gethsemane to pray, where he is arrested and crucified.
I want to focus on the different between the ride into Jerusalem and the time spent in prayer in the garden. It was easy to follow God’s will while palms were waving. Now it is hard, and Jesus goes into deep prayer:
“Father, if you are willing, remove this cup from me; yet, not my will but yours be done.”
The path strewn with palms led into the Garden of Gethsemane. How many times have you prayed for God to rescue you from something you know you have to do? That part of the prayer is easy. It is very difficult to end it the way Jesus does:
“Not my will, but thine be done.”
This is the most important part of the prayer. We live in an era when many people try to “create their own reality” by focusing on the things they want, and trying to bring them into their lives. However, this is often done by focusing on what the ego wants – not on checking out God’s will.
We often pray for something specific: a new job, a satisfying relationship, good health. How often do we ask God what God’s will is for us? So often today, our prayers are telling God what we want God to do for us.
In the garden, Jesus asks for what he wants, but he emphasizes that he wants God will to be done.
This is a very difficult thing to ask; for sometimes God’s will can be hard.
When the Lord was being emptied out he was in a state of progress toward union; when he was being glorified he was in a state of union itself. The church recognizes that the Lord had two states while he was in the world; one called being emptied out; the other called glorification….TC 104
…The reason why the Lord experienced these two states, the state of being emptied out and the state of being glorified is that no other method of achieving union could possibly exist. Only this method follows the divine design, and the divine design cannot be changed.
The divine design is that we arrange ourselves for receiving God and prepare ourselves as a vessel and a dwelling place where God can enter and live as if we were his own temple. … This is the divine design we follow, and have to follow, to go from being earthly to being spiritual. The Lord had to go through the same process to make his earthly human manifestation divine. This is why he prayed to the Father. This is why he did the Father’s will. This is why he attributed everything he did and said to the Father. This is why he said on the cross “My God, my God, why have abandoned me?” …In this state God appears to be absent. TC 105
Swedenborg is using his own words to describe a spiritual process that is found in many world traditions. Our spiritual path is leading us to recognize our union with the Divine. To get to this partnership, we must be tempted and challenged to the point where our old ego dies; making room for God's complete oneness with us.
John of the Cross says that we must go through a “dark night of the soul” so that God can remove any barriers that keep us from union with the Divine.
This is w what was happening for Jesus in the garden. Swedenborg tells us that in the Garden of Gethsemane, Jesus was letting go of his old ego needs and desires. On the cross, Jesus completed the emptying of the ego, and came into union with God. Swedenborg calls this the glorification of Jesus. This is a process each of us must undergo on our soul's journey to God.
What barriers stand between you and God? Where do you need to empty yourself so that God’s influx can fill you?
During this Holy Week, think of yourself as letting go of all inner barriers, so that on Easter Sunday you can be completely open to receiving God’s joyful gift of love.
During this week, be open to any of the feelings that are present for you. It is a week of celebration, of fellowship, of betrayal, and of painful ego death. Our Thursday chat will be an opportunity to share the experience of Maundy Thursday.
Let yourself have all of those feelings during the week. But don't forget to come back next Sunday, when we will celebrate the glorious union with God that awaits us all.
CLOSING SONG
How Great Thou Art
Now extinguish your candle 
And close the Bible. 
Go in peace, waving palms and praying for God's will in your life.
From the Bible:
Luke 19
36As he rode along, people kept spreading their cloaks on the road. 37As he was now approaching the path down from the Mount of Olives, the whole multitude of the disciples began to praise God joyfully with a loud voice for all the deeds of power that they had seen, 38saying, “Blessed is the king who comes in the name of the Lord! Peace in heaven, and glory in the highest heaven!” 39Some of the Pharisees in the crowd said to him, “Teacher, order your disciples to stop.” 40He answered, “I tell you, if these were silent, the stones would shout out.”
Luke 22
39He came out and went, as was his custom, to the Mount of Olives; and the disciples followed him. 40When he reached the place, he said to them, “Pray that you may not come into the time of trial.” 41Then he withdrew from them about a stone’s throw, knelt down, and prayed, 42“Father, if you are willing, remove this cup from me; yet, not my will but yours be done.” 43Then an angel from heaven appeared to him and gave him strength. 44In his anguish he prayed more earnestly, and his sweat became like great drops of blood falling down on the ground. 45When he got up from prayer, he came to the disciples and found them sleeping because of grief, 46and he said to them, “Why are you sleeping? Get up and pray that you may not come into the time of trial.”
6] By the disciples putting their garments on the ass and her colt, was represented that truths in the whole complex were submitted to the Lord as the Highest Judge and King; for the disciples represented the church of the Lord in respect to its truths and goods (n. 2129, 3488, 3858, 6397), and their garments represented the truths themselves (n. 4545, 4763, 5319, 5954, 6914, 6917, 9093) The like was represented by the multitude strewing their garments in the way, and also branches of trees. The reason why they strewed them in the way was that by "a way" is signified the truth whereby the man of the church is led (n. 627, 2333, 3477). The reason why they strewed branches of trees, was that trees signified the perceptions and also the knowledges of truth and good (n. 2682, 2722, 2972, 4552, 7692), consequently "the branches" denote the truths themselves. This was done also in conformity with a customary rite; for when the highest judges and kings rode in their solemn procession, the princes of the people then put their garments on the asses and mules, and the people themselves strewed their garments on the way, or in their place the branches of trees; for the judicial function in heaven is the Divine truth from the Divine good, and the regal one is the Divine truth (n. 1728, 2015, 2069, 3009, 4581, 4966, 5044, 5068, 6148). AC 9212
It is a fundamental error on the part of the Christian Church to believe that the passion on the cross was the real act of redemption. That error, together with the erroneous belief in three divine persons existing from eternity, has so corrupted the whole Christian Church that there is not a scrap of spirituality left in it. TC #132
Palms to Prayer
Holy Week is a long journey through many stages. Swedenborg’s process of regeneration is a long road, with much struggle, before one reaches “union.” In many ways, Holy Week is a condensed version of that journey. When you make the decision that you want to walk a spiritual path, then you are also deciding to walk through all of the bumps and pot holes in the road.
Often, our first sense of God is a glimpse of something beautiful and peaceful calling to us. To respond to the call feels joyous and liberating. At the beginning, there is excitement about beginning a new journey. There are so many hopes and dreams that lie ahead. Following God’s will is easy on Palm Sunday; riding a donkey into a cheering crowd! It’s like romantic love early in a relationship. It’s easy to make a commitment in the midst of romance. It’s harder to maintain the commitment through the years ahead filled with conflicts and compromises. Yet, it is in working through the conflicts that a much deeper mature love can blossom many years later.
In the true movie “Erin Brockovich”, Erin was excited about starting a new job in a law office. Yet, after that decision was made, it was almost inevitable that she would hear and see things that led her deeply into exposing a corporate cover-up. It started as an easy decision and then moved through some very difficult times before the ending of resolution.
By following the road into Jerusalem, Jesus has an intense week. He attends a Passover supper with his disciples, at which one of them betrays him. He goes to the Garden of Gethsemane to pray, where he is arrested and crucified.
I want to focus on the different between the ride into Jerusalem and the time spent in prayer in the garden. It was easy to follow God’s will while palms were waving. Now it is hard, and Jesus goes into deep prayer:
“Father, if you are willing, remove this cup from me; yet, not my will but yours be done.”
The path strewn with palms led into the Garden of Gethsemane. How many times have you prayed for God to rescue you from something you know you have to do? That part of the prayer is easy. It is very difficult to end it the way Jesus does:
“Not my will, but thine be done.”
This is the most important part of the prayer. We live in an era when many people try to “create their own reality” by focusing on the things they want, and trying to bring them into their lives. However, this is often done by focusing on what the ego wants – not on checking out God’s will.
We often pray for something specific: a new job, a satisfying relationship, good health. How often do we ask God what God’s will is for us? So often today, our prayers are telling God what we want God to do for us.
In the garden, Jesus asks for what he wants, but he emphasizes that he wants God will to be done.
This is a very difficult thing to ask; for sometimes God’s will can be hard.
When the Lord was being emptied out he was in a state of progress toward union; when he was being glorified he was in a state of union itself. The church recognizes that the Lord had two states while he was in the world; one called being emptied out; the other called glorification….TC 104
…The reason why the Lord experienced these two states, the state of being emptied out and the state of being glorified is that no other method of achieving union could possibly exist. Only this method follows the divine design, and the divine design cannot be changed.
The divine design is that we arrange ourselves for receiving God and prepare ourselves as a vessel and a dwelling place where God can enter and live as if we were his own temple. … This is the divine design we follow, and have to follow, to go from being earthly to being spiritual. The Lord had to go through the same process to make his earthly human manifestation divine. This is why he prayed to the Father. This is why he did the Father’s will. This is why he attributed everything he did and said to the Father. This is why he said on the cross “My God, my God, why have abandoned me?” …In this state God appears to be absent. TC 105
Swedenborg is using his own words to describe a spiritual process that is found in many world traditions. Our spiritual path is leading us to recognize our union with the Divine. To get to this partnership, we must be tempted and challenged to the point where our old ego dies; making room for God's complete oneness with us.
John of the Cross says that we must go through a “dark night of the soul” so that God can remove any barriers that keep us from union with the Divine.
This is w what was happening for Jesus in the garden. Swedenborg tells us that in the Garden of Gethsemane, Jesus was letting go of his old ego needs and desires. On the cross, Jesus completed the emptying of the ego, and came into union with God. Swedenborg calls this the glorification of Jesus. This is a process each of us must undergo on our soul's journey to God.
What barriers stand between you and God? Where do you need to empty yourself so that God’s influx can fill you?
During this Holy Week, think of yourself as letting go of all inner barriers, so that on Easter Sunday you can be completely open to receiving God’s joyful gift of love.
During this week, be open to any of the feelings that are present for you. It is a week of celebration, of fellowship, of betrayal, and of painful ego death. Our Thursday chat will be an opportunity to share the experience of Maundy Thursday.
Let yourself have all of those feelings during the week. But don't forget to come back next Sunday, when we will celebrate the glorious union with God that awaits us all.
How Great Thou Art
Go in peace, waving palms and praying for God's will in your life.
