Palm Sunday remains the most awkward, unsettling service of the year. And I have come to love it.

Luke’s anointing story of Jesus is COMPLETELY different from John’s! It happens MUCH earlier in Luke’s Gospel (Chapter 7): before Jesus starts telling parables, before the Transfiguration, and LONG before Jesus turns towards Jerusalem and what happens there to him.

I believe that today’s story found in The Gospel of Luke is one of the greatest, most powerful and effective stories recorded in history. It’s brilliance stems in no small part in the way it invites us to see ourselves in the three characters of the story.

"Why do bad things happen to good people? Did some sin cause the situation they find themselves in?"

After Jesus was baptized, but before speaking publicly, he went off into the wilderness by himself.

People usually spend extended time in the wilderness for one of two things: seeking or sorting.

The reaction to the reality that Lent begins this week, among family, friends, and even parishioners, has been “Really?  Already?” I feel that way too, even thought Lent is pretty close to as late on the calendar as it can be.  

Today’s reading from The Gospel of Luke continues Jesus’ sermon on the plain. It’s the one that began with the Beatitudes of blessings and woes.

In Matthew’s arguably more famous Sermon on the Mount, the focus is on the gathered crowd of people who journey to hear Jesus the Jewish Rabbi preach on a faithful relationship with Torah and scripture.

In the calling story of Jesus’ first disciples, catching people is the payoff: the memorable line from this story, and it’s what those in the story are ultimately to do. 

We all knew it was going to be an unpredictable week, that’s for sure.  But honestly, did anyone have on their bingo card that a preached homily would be trending and The Episcopal Church would be at the center of the talk of the nation???