Notes on the Notes – April 14, 2019

Palm Sunday

 A Parade that Matters!

This Week’s Scripture Readings:

      Psalm 118:1-2, 19-29          Luke 19:28-40

This Week’s Music:

“And on This Path” (MV #8)

“And on this path, the gates of holiness are open wide…

So enter in, the gates of holiness are open wide…

Open wide! Open wide! Open wide!
The gates are open wide!”

This gospel-flavoured setting of Psalm 118:19 was written by Linnea God and Lynn Bauman in 2003.  Palm Sunday is the day of Jesus’ triumphal entry into the holy city of Jerusalem.

“Hosanna Hosanna”

“Hosanna, Hosanna
Blessed is He who comes
Hosanna, Hosanna
Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord.

Let’s lift a shout in one accord for all that He has done
Let’s lift a shout in praise to God for all the vict’ry’s won
If we don’t praise the rocks will cry out “Hosanna’s to the King.”
So lift your voice in praise to God and let your voices sing.

Hosanna, Hosanna
Blessed is He who comes
Hosanna, Hosanna
Blessed is He who comes in the name of the Lord.”

Mark Cole recorded this joyous tune on his album Move in This City (2000).  The words come from this week’s gospel reading from the book of Luke.  The word Hosanna is an expression of joy and praise for deliverance granted or anticipated.

Hear the song at:  https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=-JKumxllHKM

“Palm Sunday Peace”

“Take the branches from the palm trees,
Lay them on the ground.
This will be a sign of peace, the whole wide world around.
‘Cause Jesus isn’t riding a chariot, and he isn’t driving a tank.
He isn’t bringing soldiers marching rank on rank on rank.
He’s riding on a donkey, up to the city gate.
Let Hosannas ring as the children sing, for peace that just can’t wait.

Hosanna! Peace! Hosanna!
Hosanna! Peace! we call!
Lay the branches down as Hosannas sound.
Praise and Peace to all!”

The children in Bible Adventures will share this song, which was written by Ian MacDonald of the Common Cup Company in 1986.  When Jesus came into Jerusalem he was riding on a donkey, a symbol of humility and peace, rather than a stallion, which was a symbol of power.  By riding on a donkey, Jesus also fulfills the prophecy from Zechariah, where the prophet states that the new king will enter Jerusalem riding on a donkey.

“Hosanna, Loud Hosanna” (VU #123)

“Hosanna, loud hosanna the happy children sang;
Through pillared court and temple the joyful anthem rang;
To Jesus, who had blessed them close folded to his breast;
The children sang their praises, the simplest and the best.

From Olivet they followed, ‘mid an exultant crowd,
The victory palm-branch waving, and singing clear and loud;
The Lord of earth and heaven rode on in lowly state,
Content that little children should on his bidding wait.

“Hosanna in the highest!” That ancient song we sing,
For Christ is our Redeemer; earth, let your anthems ring.
O may we ever praise him with heart and life and voice,
And in his humble presence eternally rejoice!”

The text for this hymn is based on Christ’s triumphal entry on Palm Sunday and the children’s role in that event. The text was written by Jeannette Threlfall in 1873 in an “idle moment” (as she says she wrote all of her hymns, all others of which have been forgotten).  Stanzas 1 and 2 tell how the children shared in the songs during Christ’s procession into Jerusalem. Stanza 3 is our cue to also participate in praising our Redeemer.

The melody, ELLACOMBE, is a Roman Catholic tune from late 18th-century Germany, which was first published in 1874.

Hear the hymn with organ and trumpeter Timothy Moke at: https://youtu.be/yOAsWh316kY

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“Be Still and Know”

“Be still and know that I am God.”

Our candle-lighting response moves to a different point in the service this week and marks the transition from the celebration of Palm Sunday to the contemplation of the events of the upcoming Holy Week.

“Lead Me to Calvary”      

This week’s anthem leads us into reflection in preparation for Good Friday.   The words are by Jennie Evelyn Hussie with music by Don Chapman.  “Lead Me to Calvary” first appeared in New Songs of Praise and Power in 1921.  Don Chapman composed this arrangement in 2002.

“King of my life, I crown Thee now, Thine shall the glory be;
Lest I forget Thy thorny crown, lead me to Calvary.

Lest I forget Gethsemane,
Lest I forget Thine agony;
Lest I forget, O Lord, Thy love for me,
Lead me to Calvary.

Show me the tomb where Thou wast laid, tenderly mourned and wept;
Angels in robes of light arrayed guarded Thee whilst Thou slept.

Lest I forget Gethsemane, 
Lest I forget Thine agony;
Lest I forget, O Lord, Thy love for me,
Lead me to Calvary.

May I be willing, Lord, to bear daily my cross for Thee;
Even Thy cup of grief to share, Thou hast borne all for me.

Lest I forget Gethsemane,
Lest I forget Thine agony;
Lest I forget, O Lord, Thy love for me,
Lead me to Calvary.”

“Ride On!  Ride On in Majesty!”  (VU #127)   

“Ride On! Ride on in majesty!
Hark! All the tribes hosanna cry:
O Saviour meek, pursue thy road with palms and scattered garments strowed.

Ride on! Ride on in majesty!
In lowly pomp ride on to die;
O Christ, thy triumphs now begin o’er captive death and conquered sin.

Ride on! Ride on in majesty!
The winged squadrons of the sky look down with sad and wondering eyes to see the approaching sacrifice.

Ride on! Ride on in majesty!
In lowly pomp ride on to die;
Bow thy meek head to mortal pain,
Then take, O God, thy power, and reign.”

The poet, Henry Hart Milman wrote the poem “Ride On, Ride On in Majesty!” in 1820, but it was not published in a hymn book until 1827.  Stanley L. Osbourne describes the hymn as “Objective, robust, confident, and stirring, it possesses that peculiar combination of tragedy and victory which draws the singer into the very centre of the drama. It is this which gives the hymn its power and its challenge”.

The hymn tune by Graham George, KING’S MAJESTY, was written for the hymn in 1939.  It is at once triumphant and foreboding and will be our closing hymn as we continue to move from Palm Sunday into Holy Week.

See the hymn used in worship at:  https://youtu.be/kC_ZLanCx2U

“Throughout These Lenten Days and Nights” (VU #108)

“Rejoice, O sons and daughters!
Sing and shout hosannas! Raise the strain!
For Christ, whose death Good Friday brings
On Easter Day will rise again!”

For the first five Sundays in Lent, we have used verse 1 of this hymn as our Benediction response. On this, the final Sunday of Lent, we will sing the closing verse of the hymn.

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*What is Palm Sunday?

Palm Sunday is the final Sunday of Lent, the beginning of Holy Week, and commemorates the triumphant arrival of Christ in Jerusalem, days before he was crucified.

Palm Sunday is known as such because the faithful will often receive palm fronds which they use to participate in the reenactment of Christ’s arrival in Jerusalem. In the Gospels, Jesus entered Jerusalem riding a young donkey, and to the lavish praise of the townspeople who threw clothes, or possibly palms or small branches, in front of him as a sign of homage. This was a customary practice reserved for people of great respect.  Palm branches are a widely recognized symbol of peace and victory.

During Palm Sunday service, palms are distributed.   Many people will fashion them into small crosses or other items of personal devotion.    After Palm Sunday, some of the palms are kept and burnt to create the ashes that will be used in the following year’s Ash Wednesday observance.

Palm Sunday is the official start of Holy Week, which includes services on both Good Friday and Easter Sunday.

To ponder:

What does Palm/Passion Sunday mean for you?