Which Crowd is Your Crowd?

Sunday March 25 2018

A reflection for Palm Sunday by the Rev Dr Marjory MacLean

Many people spread their cloaks on the road, and others spread leafy branches that they had cut in the fields.

Then those who went ahead and those who followed were shouting, "Hosanna! Blessed is the one who comes in the name of the Lord!

Blessed is the coming kingdom of our ancestor David! Hosanna in the highest heaven!" (Mark 11:8-10)

They all went with the crowd that day, honouring, praising, smiling, hoping.  But they all ‘went with the crowd’ four days later, threatening, taunting, letting destruction prevail. 

And crowds have always been thus, fickle places where weak bullies find the confidence to leer or tease or complain or undermine, and others let them do it and even join in.  The same weak bullies are not like that when they are alone, though, are they?

So when your soul is all alone with only God to hear you, which crowd is your crowd?  Where do you place your courage in this highest of all weeks?

Lord Jesus of Bethany and Jerusalem, may my worship be the adoration of the exultant crowd. 
Lord Jesus of Gethsemane and Golgotha, may my worship be the intimacy of a single soul.
Lord Jesus of the distant garden, may my worship be the obedience of a faithful messenger.
AMEN

The Rev Dr Marjory MacLean is minister of Abernyte linked with Inchture and Kinnaird linked with Longforgan

The Sum of All Five Senses: a meditation for Monday of Holy Week, by the Very Rev Dr John Chalmers