We were in the car earlier when I started to sing: “This is the day, this is the day, that the Lord has made, that the Lord has made…” This song had been repeated so much in our house the last few weeks as the kids geared up to sing it in church on Palm Sunday that it runs through my mind without me realizing it.
We talked last night about the significance of Maundy Thursday, and the events we remember on that day. As the kids crawled into their beds, my Mom read the account of Jesus washing his disciples feet and I acted out the story (Mercy was quite disappointed that I did not have a real bowl of water and soap like last time–it was late so I had just grabbed a few wipes instead. I know, kind of lame…). After everyone’s feet (or Jammies, in Aaron’s case) were clean, we continued with the reading and I took some graham cracker and water and we continued the story. Mercy and Aaron were sober about what we were doing up until the moment I broke the graham cracker and they started fighting over who would get more pieces.
Today we have talked about the fact that we are remembering Jesus’ death (not sure how we will act this one out tonight…Mercy suggested I hang on a cross and we could use some ketchup for the blood). This has come up on more than one occasion, so when I started to sing “This is the Day” earlier, I stopped with what felt like a dissonance: really? This is the day the Lord has made? Let us rejoice? Be glad in it?
Last Sunday the kids waved their palms and sang and reminded us of Jesus’ entry into Jerusalem. And their song reminded us that Jesus’ coming was reason to celebrate: Let us rejoice! And be glad in it!
And as much as Jesus’ death suggested deepest disappointment and denial, the fact remains that indeed he HAD come as king. And the cross, the dissonance brought by blood and suffering, does not undo or deny that. It demonstrates that in all of its seeming contradictions.