In the history of the Christian Church, this is called Palm Sunday. It recognizes the beginning of Holy Week, the week leading to the cross (Good Friday) and the resurrection (Easter Sunday).

The Biblical story which this day marks is quite simple. Jesus rides into Jerusalem on a donkey and while people place palm branches on the path in front of him, they sing an ancient Psalm (Psalm 118) praising him as the king.

There are several ironies in the story.

First, Kings don't enter cities riding on donkeys. Kings should ride into a city on a horse, preferably a white horse. So what is this all about? Jesus was rejecting all political hopes - he was not coming as one who would overthrow the terrible Roman oppressors.

Second, the song the people sing comes from Psalm 118 which is a Hallel used by the Jewish people during passover. It is a psalm mixed with despair and hope. It is hardly a song of triumphalistic victory. Jesus was not coming as a victor over political oppression.

So who is this Jesus who rides into Jerusalem on a donkey to the tune of an ancient song about darkness and death?

This Jesus is one who humbles himself to walk with the poor, with the disenfranchised, with the despairing, the dying, the crushed, the powerless. He rides their beast of burden not the steed of the arrogant victor who uses slaves and soldiers to do his dirty work. He comes in their lives being saluted with a song about death and pain and suffering. He comes into their lives with the words of a lament, a song of anquish. The song, however, is not hopeless or futile angst. The song is about how God comes and lives among the suffering and the hopeless and the despairing.

Maybe your life is not giving you what you expect. Maybe your life is filled with pain, hopeless and despair. The Good News today is that the God of the Universe enters your world as a humble servant to comfort you and be with you.

Ok, there is thing going on the stream - and I got tagged.

Here are my five quotes:

1. "If you always tell the truth, you don't have to remember what you said."

2. "The early bird always gets the worm."

3. "Red (sky) at night, sailors delight' Red in the morning, sailors take warning." This is actually a Biblical quote - which my dad would say and it was usually an accurate forecast of the weather in the summer in Southwestern British Columbia, Canada where I grew up)

4. "Stop crying or I'll give you something to cry about." (Bad psychology and very damaging to the ego - was in counseling for years for this one)

5. "Put it back where you found it."

OK. Now it's up to Grandpa John, Attitude Engineer, Misty, River Rat, and Topaz to give us their 5 quotes.

AZRON

There is a new movement in the Church in America. It is called the 'Red Letter' Christians.

What is a 'red letter' Christian? In many Bibles, the words or teachings of Jesus are printed in red ink. Many people say that they follow Jesus, but it is obvious they have never really read the 'red' or have tried to apply the 'red letters' to their lives. This movment is an attempt to address this issue. Here is what one person wrote about being a 'red letter' Christian:

"What's a 'Red-Letter Christian'?

by Tony Campolo
Beliefnet 2-27-2006

Recently, I met with a group of religious leaders who have become increasingly disturbed by the alliance between evangelical Christians and the Republican Party. Karl Rove, President Bush’s political strategist, has brilliantly and successfully served as the matchmaker to arrange this union, which was consummated in the last presidential election when 83 percent of evangelicals voted Republican.

The meeting was joined by the Rev. Jim Wallis of Sojourners magazine; Father Richard Rohr, a well-known Catholic writer and speaker; Brian McLaren, a leader of the emergent church movement; the Rev. Dr. Cheryl J. Sanders, a prominent African-American pastor; the Rev. Noel Castellanos, a strong voice in the Hispanic community; and several other outstanding Christian communicators.

The purpose of this gathering was NOT to create a religious left movement to challenge the religious right, but to jump-start a religious movement that will transcend partisan politics. Believing that Jesus is neither a Republican nor a Democrat, we want to unite Christians who are concerned about what is happening in America. We are evangelicals who are troubled by what is happening to poor people in America; who are disturbed over environmental policies that are contributing to global warming; who are dismayed over the increasing arrogance of power shown in our country’s militarism; who are outraged because government funding is being reduced for schools where students, often from impoverished and dysfunctional homes, are testing poorly; who are upset with the fact that of the 22 industrialized nations America is next to last in the proportion of its national budget (less than two-tenths of 1 percent) that is designated to help the poor of third-world countries; and who are broken-hearted over discrimination against women, people of color, and those who suffer because of their sexual orientation.

Because being evangelical is usually synonymous with being Republican in the popular mind, and calling ourselves “progressive” might be taken as a value judgment by those who do share our views, we decided not to call ourselves “progressive evangelicals.” We came up with a new name: Red-Letter Christians.

Who first suggested the label? A secular Jewish Country-and-Western disc jockey in Nashville, Tennessee. During a radio interview he was conducting with Jim Wallis, he happened to say, “So, you’re one of those Red-Letter Christians - you know - who’s really into those verses in the New Testament that are in red letters!”

Jim answered, “That’s right!” And with that answer, he spoke for all of us. By calling ourselves Red-Letter Christians, we are alluding to the fact that in several versions of the New Testament, the words of Jesus are printed in red. In adopting this name, we are saying that we are committed to living out the things that He said. Of course, the message in those red-lettered verses is radical, to say the least. If you don’t believe me, read Jesus’ Sermon on the Mount (Matthew 5-7).

In those red letters, He calls us away from the consumerist values that dominate contemporary American consciousness. He calls us to be merciful, which has strong implications for how we think about capital punishment. When Jesus tells us to love our enemies, he probably means we shouldn’t kill them. Most important, if we take Jesus seriously, we will realize that meeting the needs of the poor is a primary responsibility for His followers.

Figuring out just how to relate those radical red letters in the Bible to the complex issues in the modern world will be difficult, but that’s what we’ll try to do.

Gandhi once said that everybody in the world knows what Jesus was teaching in those verses - except Christians! We will try to prove him wrong."

Today June and I attended the memorial service for our friend, Tom. We met Tom through some community organizing we were doing about six years ago. Tom was one of our first recruits. He quickly understood the power of community organizing. While fighting heart problems (he often reminded us that he should have a heart transplant), he began walking his neighborhood and recruited people to support him in his efforts to turn around his part of Phoenix, AZ.

Tom reached out to the local Catholic Church, to businesses on his street, to other neighbors. He asked those of us who had a little more experience to help him. Quickly, Tom had a regular "last Tuesday of the month" gathering at the Gompers Center. Police, governmental officials, school leaders, business owners all recognized and supported Tom's efforts to clean up his part of the city. The police and city council quickly admitted that Tom's observations about his neighborhood were correct. His neighborhood was the number one crime area in Phoenix. The police designated the community as a Violence Impact Project. They targeted the prostitutes, the pimps, the johns, the drug dealers and the persons with outstanding warrants. They closed single day rental businesses. They targeted some apartment complexes for remodeling. They enforced anti-crime rental policies. All of this happened in response to Tom's efforts.

Tom and I used to visit and I learned quite a bit about Tom's life. He was a Vietnam Veteran. He served both in the Marines and in the Navy. He was a certified Naval aviator. His condo was filled with pictures of the airplanes he had flown in various capacities. After he left the military his expertise in matters technical were highly sought by corporations who manufactured electronic systems for the military.

Tom fought with the demons of the Vietnam era. He put himself in treatment for abuse of various substances. He was open about his struggles and his victories - with over 10 years of sobriety at the time of his untimely death this week.

Tom was raised in the Catholic Church. He was an infrequent attender but his faith was secure. He said that he never left the church, the church had left him (not an uncommon experience of many people who were raised in organized religion).

Two weeks ago I mentioned to June that I should call Tom. I never got around to it. This week when I was informed of his death, I found out that two weeks ago he was told he had lung cancer! No wonder my spirit was moved to think about him!

Family and friends gathered today to remember Tom's life and contribution. We are sad that Tom was taken from us too soon. He had many dreams that he left unfulfilled, yet, the streets Tom walked to make safer are safer today because of him. Thank you, Tom.

Semper Fi

Rest in peace, Tom.

Also peace to my mother, Betty, who would be 80 years young today (March 23) if she were still walking this earthly abode with us.

I don't know about you - but I have some stubborn attitudes and habits!

I am a proud person!

Sometimes I can even be downright self-righteous!

I misuse power sometimes and am bossy!

I try to be generous but sometimes I can be stingy - with my money and my affection!

I have murderous thoughts toward some people!

I have cursed people out (usually when I am by myself).

I am selfish and self-centered.

I boast about my connections with people with influence when it is unnecessary.

I can be a rude driver sometimes.

I have even been known to have lustful thoughts!

Whew! There is no hope for me!!!!

Actually there is - because the first sign of hope is to admit the problems!

Second sign of hope is to let someone else hear our confession (you just read some of mine).

Now having admitted my weaknesses and sins, I seek forgiveness from God. And God's word is sure: "If you confess your sins, I will forgive you your sins." (I John 1:9)

I have discovered that confession is not enough. Some things don't only need confession; they need to be killed.

In the church calendar, we are in what is called Lent, the forty day season of preparation for Holy Week when we observe Jesus going to the cross and dying and rising again. In this season of Lent, followers of Jesus are encouraged to reflect on their lives, their shortcomings (sins of omission and commission) and to ask God and others for forgiveness.

This is all fine and good, however, I have discovered that many of the stubborn attitudes and thoughts I have need to die - not just be confessed over and over again.

St. Paul said, "Put to death......" How dead is dead?

In this season of Lent, I am going to put some things to death! Anyone else care to join me in putting some things to death?

The followers of Jesus have learned to practice this habit: Some things have to die!

(c) 2007 Ronald Friesen